Cha-cha should be done thru Con-con

Any amendments to the Constitution should be done only through a constitutional convention (Con-con), a former senator and Constitutional Commission (Con-Com) member said yesterday.

During the Charter Change Forum organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation and the Bishops-Businessmen's Conference for Human Development at the Cebu Normal University, former senator Vicente Paterno said that Charter change should be done in a manner of a constitutional convention.

Paterno also said that any amendments to the Constitution should be done in a right way and in a right time. Paterno earlier dissociated himself from all Con-Com activities and has opposed to Charter change after he found out the alleged lapses and selfish motives of Cha-cha.

"I am now fully convinced that Mrs. Arroyo seeks not only to retain her presidency but to expand her powers through Charter change. Article 20, the ConCom transitory provisions clearly define the strong motivation for Mrs. Arroyo's determined efforts to get Cha-cha ratified," he said.

"Dapat sana interest of fair play at dapat sabihin ang full text of the transitory provisions because it was not mentioned in the campaign para malaman ng tao ang real score ng Cha-cha. We are looking for total transparency," Paterno said.

"Section 9 and 11-13 should by now have been opposed by Congress for downgrading the interim parliament. But they have not. Developments leave me doubt that GMA herself is pushing for these provisions. In anew body to promote Cha-cha, the co-chairs - Attorneys Romela Bengzon and Raul Lambino - were the main sponsors in ConCom of these onerous sections. The appointment of Congressman Puno to DILG, given his well known dagdag bawas and other election distorting skills further confirms to us that GMA will leave no stone unturned for Cha-cha," he added.

The forum was part of a plan to conduct a widespread participation about the total transparency of the effort to change the Charter.

Some of the reactors during the gathering were Philippine Councilors League national president Carlo Pontico Fortuna, barangay Lahug Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson Llewelyn Menchavez, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Lito Maderazo and Lihok Filipina Foundation Inc. executive director Teresa Fernandez.

Dubbed as "PAGTUKI SA CHA-CHA", the activity gathered more than 200 participants representing the city's various sectors, including university students.

The holding of the event was also in collaboration with the C-CIMPEL, Kaabag Sugbo and other partner-agencies. - Jasmin R. Uy