FORMER Solicitor General Florin Hilbay yesterday said the government must first educate the people about the 1987 Constitution and refrain from pushing a shift to federalism, especially that 67 percent of the Filipinos are against it.
Speaking during a public forum at USJR-Basak Campus, Hilbay said that in a survey on the priorities of the people, 67 percent of the Filipinos want economic growth, jobs, cheap goods and zero crimes.
“Only a few Filipinos or about three percent are in favor of charter change. Seventy five percent of the Filipinos are not familiar with the 1987 Constitution. So, why change the Constitution when they don’t even know it?” Hilbay said.
He said that while President Rodrigo Duterte created the 25-man consultative committee headed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno that produced “Bayanihan” Federal system, it has no power, so that Duterte and his Congress may rewrite it to suit their purpose.
Secondly, the proposed Bayanihan Federal did not mention about the West Philippine Sea (WPS), which is now being occupied by China, and a sovereign territory of the Philippines.
In the same forum, Rep. Gary Alejano of the Magdalo Partylist, said that by not mentioning WPS in the proposed Bayanihan Federal, the Duterte administration might waive its right over the disputed islands.
Alejano said the issue on WPS is more important than changing the 1987 Constitution, which was crafted by its framers after then dictator Ferdinand Marcos fled to Hawaii. (EOB)