Comelec to study 'proper action' on House's proposal to transmit RBH 7
By Dhel Nazario
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that they will study the House of Representatives’ plan to transmit the Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 (RBH 7) directly to the poll body.
"We will seriously study the proper course of action in the event that that will happen," Garcia said in a text message when sought to comment on the matter.
For Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe said that this is justified since there's no office that's authorized to receive and decide on the House's RBH No.7--and in the case of the Senate, RBH No.6--other than Comelec.
The imminent scenario is that the House will beat the Senate by a few months when it comes to passing their respective economic Charter change (Cha-cha) measure.
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Senate Committee on Finance chief, is currently leading the discussions on the proposed amendments to the economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, as head of the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes through Resolution of Both Houses No. 6. rejected this proposal citing the “bicameral system” of both the House and the Senate.
At present, the Senate is still tackling its economic Cha-cha measure at the subcommittee level. Once it reaches plenary consideration, 18 votes from the 24 senators are needed to approve it on third reading.
Asked if Comelec will wait for the Senate to finish passing the Cha-cha measure, Garcia replied: "That will be part of the study."
Since Congress is set to go on a break for the Lenten Season, Angara said Charter change discussions in the Senate will resume after the break.