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Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Futile exercise: IBP on Concom consultation
Consultations by the Consultative Commission (Concom) will not amount to anything, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter said, as it snubbed yesterday’s activity.
The lawyers’ group, instead, called for a “genuine” Charter change through a constitutional convention.
Participants from all over Central Visayas who gathered in Cebu favored the parliamentary-federal form of government, said Commissioner Pablo Garcia.
Garcia said the output in yesterday’s consultation will be considered, along with the result of consultations in Tacloban, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and the rest of the cities.
However, IBP-Cebu City chapter president Alex D. Tolentino, in an interview, said the present consultation by the Concom is an “exercise in futility” since the Concom members are known to be the “Presi-dent’s men.”
“We do not believe in that consultation because there is already a prior instruction to them from the President on what to do. So, whatever comes out from that consultation is not credible, and would definitely be questioned,” Tolentino said.
President Arroyo had formed the Concom to get the “great debate” on Charter change started. She had proposed changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary as a way to lessen politics, which she said hampers the country’s growth.
The opposition, however, said the President’s move was meant to distract people from the allegations of electoral fraud and corruption against her.
The IBP Cebu City chapter recently passed a resolution expressing its opposition to the revision of the 1987 Constitution through a constituent assembly.
Regional Development Council Chairman George Arnaiz earlier sent Tolentino and other IBP officials invitations to the consultation yesterday.
But in a letter to Arnaiz, Tolentino said the IBP unanimously agreed it will not take part in the consultation.
“We feel that the consultation will not amount to anything because Arroyo has already decided to change the constitution through a constituent assembly. We don’t think that this Concom, which is a creation of the President, will go against the plan of Arroyo,” Tolentino said in a letter to Arnaiz.
Vote
Although he considers former governor Pablo Garcia and labor leader Democrito Mendoza “mga maayong tawo” (good persons), Tolentino said those who are tasked to revise the Constitution should be voted upon by the people, and not by one person.
“They should place credible men there. And for them to be credible, they should be elected by the people. They (Garcia and Mendoza) can run if they want to represent the Cebuanos in the revision of the Constitution,” Tolentino said.
Former IBP Cebu City chapter president Demo-crito Barcenas als said the activity is a waste of time.
“What the people want are immediate solutions to the deepening poverty, staggering foreign debts, chronic unemployment and other forms of economic underdevelopment,” Barcenas said in a letter.
Commissioner Victor Ortega said the IBP Cebu City members are entitled to their opinion. But Ortega said that had they participated in the consultation, the ConCom “could have learned a thing or two” from them.
Learning
Garcia, when asked about the IBP Cebu City’s stand, only said that there were members of the IBP Cebu Province and other lawyers present in the gathering.
Representatives from local government units, groups of women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, urban poor associations, indigenous people, different religions, the academe, labor, youth and the business sector showed up at the consultation.
Concom secretary general Lito Lorenzana said the workshops are not only to bring out ideas from the sectors, but are also venues for the commissioners to “share with the people” the things they know.
“We need to know what the people want, and share with them what we perceive that they must have for the greater good. We educate them, and learn from them,” said Lorenzana.
Garcia said his colleagues had expressed surprise at the high public awareness in Cebu.
Commissioner Jose Leviste also said that the choice of Cebu as the first venue was excellent because of Cebu’s history and independence.
Money
Garcia added that yesterday’s workshop showed participants’ desire to lift restrictions on the development and use of natural resources, as well as to allow foreigners to own land under certain conditions.
IBP’s Tolentino yesterday said that shortage of funds should not always be made as an easy scapegoat by the government, since Malacańang was able to finance several Concom members in their nationwide consultations.
“They should stop telling the people that they do not have money. Let us consider that the government brought in more than 50 persons, excluding the staff, and billeted them in an expensive hotel. They even hold their consultations in plush hotels,” Tolentino added.
Lorenzana, however, yesterday said that the commissioners are not government employees and receive no salaries.
He said they only work as volunteers “to help propose” the revisions. (GN/JPM)
(October 26, 2005 issue)
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