Tuesday, May 06, 2008 House opposition rejects Charter change
OPPOSITION congressmen are opposing the senators’ call for Charter change, saying this could be used by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an “escape hatch” when her term ends in 2010.
Akbayan party-list Representative Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel said after holding a meeting, the House minority bloc has decided not to support the House and the Senate’s new Charter change campaign.
“In a straw vote, the sense of most opposition lawmakers is not to support talks between the Senate and the House of Representatives on Senator (Aquilino) Nene Pimentel Jr.’s Charter change proposal. The House minority will not participate in the dialogue,” she said.
Pimentel last April 28 filed Joint Senate Resolution 10 which called for the convening of Congress into a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to revise the Constitution to establish a federal government.
The other signatories were Senators Manuel Villar Jr., Francis Pangilinan, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Edgardo Angara, Rodolfo Biazon, Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Baraquel, a deputy minority leader, said that while the intention of the Senate “could be good, any form of Charter change now could also give GMA (President Arroyo) an escape hatch after 2010.”
“Constitutional amendments should be premised on reforming the constitutional order and not on GMA's survival,” she said. “The danger has always been about how other agenda could be inserted in the debate,” she said.
Baraquel reminded that at the height of the “Hello Garci” scandal, “the House majority rushed and tumbled to amend the Constitution to protect Arroyo.”
“While GMA is still in power, any attempt to change the Constitution could easily be tainted with the same insidious motivation,” she said, insisting that Charter change should not be discussed while Arroyo is still in office.
The lady lawmaker doubted if the new initiative would get the support of the public because of suspicions on Malacanang’s real intentions.
She also warned that federalism would be useless unless political dynasties remain the rulers of the countryside.
“Federalism could turn into balkanization if local warlordism is not dismantled. A federal system could also be ugly if combined with an authoritarian central government,” she said.
Baraquel said local democracy should be strengthened first by making governance accessible before embarking on a new system.
“If local elections would still be dominated by political clans that have been in power for ages, then federalism would be for naught,” she said.
Under the proposal, members of the Senate will be elected by federal states while the members of the House will continue to be elected by legislative districts.
The resolution calls for the election of six senators in each of the 11 component federal states that are envisioned to be created.
In addition, nine other senators will be elected to represent overseas Filipinos. This will expand the membership of the present Senate, which has 24 members, to 75.
Congressmen will be elected by district but limited to a maximum of 350.
The resolution provides that the senators will serve for six years while the congressmen will serve for three years. The senators will be limited to two terms and congressmen to four terms. (WV/Sunnex)
