Joker: Cha-cha for federalism wrong move at the wrong time

MANILA, Philippines – Maverick Sen. Joker Arroyo rejected yesterday calls by his colleagues to amend the Constitution by changing the political structure of the government to federalism.

“The move to amend the Constitution to spur economic growth by changing the political structure of our government to federalism is the wrong move at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. It won’t fly for a number of obvious reasons,” Arroyo said in a statement.

While the objective cited by the proponents is to spur economic growth, Arroyo said the proposed solution, which is political restructuring, “just doesn’t mesh, no rhyme nor reason.”

“The plan, it is said, is for Congress, acting as a legislature to pass a resolution that would limit the amendments that Congress, acting as constituent assembly can propose to the change to federalism and nothing more. That is daydreaming,” he added.

Once Congress convenes as a constituent assembly to deliberate on the federalism amendments, Arroyo warned that the Constitution will be open to other amendments, a view also shared by Sen. Loren Legarda.

“Who can prevent that same Congress, this time switching back to its role as a legislature, to make an amendatory resolution expanding the amendments that can be proposed to any other thing? Open sesame,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo, a veteran lawyer, also noted that the various attempts to switch from presidential to parliamentary failed in the past “because public opinion was averse to venture into the unknown.”

“The attempt to switch from unitary to federalism will fail for the same fear of the unknown,” Arroyo added. “From the frying pan to the fire. We will have now 11 little fiefdoms and 11 little kings,” he said.

As this developed, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said he signed the Joint Resolution number 10 calling for Congress to convene into constituent assembly for shift to federalism to start up the debates on Charter change.   – Christina Mendez