9 senators push debate on Concon

Nine senators have endorsed for plenary debate the proposed constitutional convention (Concon) as a preliminary move to amend the 1987 Charter, Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes and laws, said that the proposed changes in the Constitution are now "ripe for debate."

"We have already filed the committee report yesterday (July 30) and this is now committee report 233. It is now up to the Senate leadership or the Senate president and the majority leader to schedule it for debate," Angara said.

He disclosed that his committee has conducted five public hearings and heard 40 resource persons and almost a hundred submissions, whose positions on the proposed Charter change (Cha-cha) are included in their report.

"But the bottom line is everybody is in favor of Charter change so there is no truth to some assertion that people don’t want (it). In fact, it is nearly unanimous to have Charter change and there is only one representation, Bayan Muna, who is opposing (it)," Angara said.

Last July 14, Concon won over constituent assembly (Conass) and referendum as the mode to change the Constitution when eight of the 14 members of Angara’s committee voted for Concon.

These were Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier, Majority Floor Leader Loren Legarda, administration Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Francis Pangilinan, Ramon Revilla and opposition Senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta, John Osmeña and Aquilino Pimentel.

Angara said that although maverick Sen. Joker Arroyo, who strongly opposed any move to change the Constitution, did not send nor call him regarding his position on Cha-cha, he still considered him in favor of Concon.

As early as then, he said he was already anticipating that the total number of senators for Concon may increase to nine.

Three senators — Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III, opposition Sen. Rodolfo Biazon and administration Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. — preferred the holding of a referendum on whether there is a need to change the Charter and what mode should be used. Only Angara and Sen. Robert Barbers favored House Resolution 16, which seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to change the Constitution.

Angara said that their proposal is to convene a constituent assembly composed of as many existing congressional districts or about 202 delegates. He said that it should be convened one month after the coming of the new administration and the delegates will not receive any salary.

"But they will receive per diem and traveling expenses to and from the district to the office," Angara said, adding that Congress would need to approve a P100 million budget this which could be inserted in the year 2004 national budget.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has earlier said it would need at least P92 million for the proposed Concon.

Although nine of Angara’s committee’s members have endorsed Concon for plenary debate, he said it will still be up for the Senate as a whole to decide what mode it wants for the Charter change.

"But my guess, my educated guess is that a majority of the senators would vote for constitutional convention. But I am not prepared to say that there is no more hope for Conass because there is still a conference committee," Angara explained.