Constituent assembly starts rolling in August

MANILA, Philippines - Congressmen may start working in August on proposals to amend the Constitution to pave the way for a shift in the form of government to a federal system, as President Duterte is advocating.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez said yesterday senators and congressmen could begin their work on the Charter in August while Duterte has not yet presented his 2017 budget proposal to Congress.

“We can work as lawmakers in the morning and as con-ass members in the afternoon. We can meet from Monday through Thursday, instead of just Monday through Wednesday,” Benitez said.

Benitez has authored a resolution urging Congress to convene as a constituent assembly or con-ass to work on Charter change (Cha-cha).

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has presented a second con-ass resolution.

Once the proposals to amend the Constitution are taken up by Congress, one question that is expected to generate a lot of debate is whether the Senate and House of Representatives would vote as one or separately on the amendments introduced.

On Thursday, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez revealed that Duterte, who was initially advocating an elected constitutional convention to work on Cha-cha, has agreed on the con-ass mode due to budget constraints.

“A con-ass is the faster and least expensive mode,” Alvarez said.

He said their timetable is to finish the amendments in one year and to submit them to the people for ratification in a plebiscite that could coincide with the midterm elections (for senators, congressmen and local officials) in 2019.

Other members of the House of Representatives have expressed support for the con-ass mode.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone agreed with Benitez that lawmakers could begin working on proposed amendments as early as next month or in September.

“We can work while the 2017 budget is still not with us or while it is not being deliberated upon in plenary and it is with the appropriations committee. That means that we have until October for Cha-cha before the plenary debates on the budget,” he said.

According to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Duterte plans to present his budget proposal for next year to Congress in the third week of August.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said lawmakers, convened as a con-ass, could hold sessions and hearings in Mindanao, the Visayas and other parts of the country to know the people’s sentiments on the President’s advocacy for a shift to the federal system.

He said he agreed with his colleagues that con-ass would save the nation billions of pesos that could otherwise be used for infrastructure and other social services.

It was probably Diokno who convinced the President to change his mind, Albano said.

“I think the administration is in a tight financial situation. With new people in revenue-raising agencies, they might not be able to meet their collection targets to support increased spending,” he added.

Barbers said con-ass is the “best method of revising the Constitution for two reasons: first, there will be no need for another divisive national elections where delegates will most likely be proxies of politicians anyway, and secondly, the country will save billions of pesos if we will do away with the election of constitutional convention delegates.”

“The people have nothing to fear. Con-ass is not the end product but merely a means to effect proposed changes. The Constitution itself, as ratified by the people, allows con-ass, thus Congress will not be in bad faith if it adopts this method,” he said.

Benitez’s resolution contains details on his proposed federal-presidential type of government, including the creation of 12 states – six in Luzon and three each in the Visayas and Mindanao.

He is also proposing the lifting of foreign ownership restrictions on land and businesses.

The Makabayan bloc of seven party-list representatives is opposed to the con-ass mode.

“Con-ass will not be acceptable to the people as they perceive Congress to be dominated by political dynasties and fear that vested and self-serving interests would inevitably influence proposed changes to the Constitution,” the group led by Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna said.

“Makabayan will strongly oppose any effort to revise the Constitution that will do away with its protectionist economic provisions, remove the anti-dynasty clause and lift term limits of elected officials,” it said. The group urged Duterte and Alvarez to reconsider their agreement on con-ass.

Another House member who opposed con-ass is Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr., who said it would mean that lawmakers would not approve proposals that would be against their interest.

“If we want to avoid shenanigans arising from the formation of the ruling party and the selection of the minority, we will need true political reform and genuine political reform cannot be achieved by a constitutional assembly. Putting in place a clear anti-political dynasty provision and reforming the party-list system, among others, are not viable in the hands of Congress alone,” he said. 

Debatable

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said lawmakers are likely to debate hard on whether the Senate and the House of Representatives would vote as one or separately on amendments to be introduced.

But he expressed belief those in favor of voting separately would prevail. “I’m sure we will vote separately,” Sotto said. – Christina Mendez, Rhodina Villanueva