Noy expected to stay neutral on economic Cha-cha

MANILA, Philippines - Leaders of the House of Representatives hope  President Aquino will remain neutral in efforts to amend the economic provisions in the Constitution.

“I hope that the President will stay neutral if he cannot support it (Charter change),” Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said, referring to the statements of resource persons invited to  hearings of the House committee on constitutional amendments last week.

“The testimonies we have been getting so far are enlightening.”

Belmonte is the principal author of House Resolution No. 1 seeking to include the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in some sections of Articles XII, XIV, and XIV of the Constitution.

It means restrictions on increased foreign participation on certain local industries will remain until Congress enacts laws lifting them.

Other House leaders expressed hope that Aquino would not intervene.

“We are optimistic that the President, when he sees the merits of the proposal, together with the arguments being made by the business community, might open his mind and support our proposal or at the very least... he would have a neutral stand insofar as this issue is concerned and allow members of the Liberal Party to vote on the basis of what they think is good for the country,” Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., vice chairman of the committee, told reporters.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, a constitutional expert and senior member of the panel, said the committee will continue to hold public hearings on the legislation despite Aquino’s refusal to give support.

“The House of Representatives should proceed with its constitutional mandate to receive, debate and vote on any resolution proposing amendments to the Constitution,” he said.

“Precisely, the legislative and the executive departments are separate and independent of each other (the judiciary being the third independent branch of government).” 

Fariñas said Aquino can influence lawmakers, although he has no participation in proposing amendments to the Constitution.

“He  (Aquino) could, of course, influence his allies in Congress to support his stand, if any,” he said.

Barzaga said a pledge or manifesto will be circulated next week among House members that no other provisions in the Constitution would be touched in the process of amending the economic provisions.

 â€œWe will be making a written manifesto, a written pledge to the Filipino people that we shall only tackle the economic provisions and there will be no provision, no discussion or proposal to amend the term limit, to change the government or other proposal which would be political in character,” he said.

Aquino remains reluctant in easing restrictions on foreign ownership in the Constitution.