SAYING that he’s ready to serve the people in whatever capacity, former Cebu City congressman Antonio Cuenco is honored to have been suggested as a member of a group tasked to frame a new form of government.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Saturday night that he proposed to President Rodrigo Duterte the creation of a Constitutional Commission (Con-Com), which will be composed of at least 25 retired justices and deans of law schools.
Among the 25 Constitutional Law experts could be Cuenco and retired Chief Justice Renato Puno, he said.
In his speech during the oath-taking ceremony of about 300 Cebu officials as new members of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Alvarez said the Con-Com will examine and suggest amendments to the 1987 Constitution in preparation for the change in government form to a federal system.
With Congress preoccupied with the 2017 annual budget, he said the Con-Com should be formed through an executive order (EO).
He plans to submit his proposal to Duterte this week so that the commission can start immediately as soon as the EO is issued.
For his part, Cuenco said being a lawmaker for 25 years, he’s still able to render public service and that he’s ready regardless of when the Con-Com will take effect.
“I have a lot of experience regarding the framing of the Constitution because I remember distinctly that when I was a congressman, I was chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments. Regarding Alvarez’s invitation, it will be a great honor for me to serve as a member of that commission,” he told Sun.Star Cebu in a phone interview yesterday.
Parliamentary
During his first stint as representative back in 1965, he and his Senate counterpart, former senator Arturo Tolentino, called for a Constitutional convention (Con-con), which later changed the form of government from presidential to parliamentary.
While the Con-con was aimed at strengthening the local government units (LGU), Cuenco said that then President Ferdinand Marcos stirred up the provisions by paying the convention delegates to extend his term as prime minister.
“Instead of improving the LGU, the form of government was changed to allow him (Marcos) to extend his term. I would be honored to help frame a new form of government, this time, a federal system,” Cuenco said.
He said unlike the previous shift in form of government, this change to federalism would benefit Central Visayas and others as this would mean more leaders to represent their region.
Cuenco said dictatorship would not happen as the president would still be elected by the people.
As for Alvarez’s proposal, he said a Constitutional assembly would then follow as soon as Congress finishes studying the commission.
He said the final draft would be presented through a plebiscite along with the midterm elections in 2019.
Transitory
After the final draft is approved, the remaining three years of Duterte’s administration would serve as transitory period.
With a new form of government, a national election will then be conducted in 2022.
“Change should be done within the term of Duterte. It’d be dangerous if it lapses his administration because where can you find a president who’s willing to vacate his seat as soon as the people have chosen a new leader?” Alvarez asked.