Aquino orders economic, legal team to study Cha-cha

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III remained pessimistic about amending the 1987 Constitution but he has agreed to have the matter studied by his economic and legal teams, Malacanang said.

The Chief Executive on Monday met with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte at the Palace to hear their views on Charter change (Cha-cha).

"I stated my opposition but we agreed to have the underlying basis studied by the economic and legal clusters with private sector participation upon the suggestions of both the Senate President and the Speaker," Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said as he read the statement of President Aquino in relation to the meeting.

The Malacanang official said the study primarily aims to outline the rationale behind the zealousness of both houses of Congress for Charter amendments.

"Primarily to lay out what are justifications that convinced the Senate President and the Speaker from advocating Cha-cha and that's about it. That's just a study," Lacierda said.

However, he refused to answer whether the outcome of the study would change the President's mind.

"I wouldn't have any answer one way or the other. That's still a study (to be) made. We don't know yet what will be the conclusion of the study," he said.

Aquino repeatedly said that Charter change is not a priority of his administration.

He has reservations over amending any provision of the Constitution adopted during the regime of his mother, late President Corazon Aquino, in 1987 as he feared that it would expose the Constitution to slew of amendments.

Enrile and Belmonte have claimed that amendments will only be restricted to economic provisions.

Lacierda said the Palace does not know what economic provisions Congress are considering.

He added that Malacanang is not sure where the study will lead to. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)