MANILA, Philippines — The faction of PDP-Laban chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte agreed Tuesday to support Charter change, but was unclear whether it was backing the House of Representatives’ push for a constitutional convention or the push of its executive vice president, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, for a constituent assembly.
Melvin Matibag, the secretary-general of the PDP-Laban faction chaired by Duterte, said in a text message that the details of their support for Cha-cha will be revealed in a resolution that will come out on Thursday.
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Members of the Duterte wing met Tuesday morning to discuss the party’s official stance on Cha-cha as attempts to open up the Constitution for amendments or revisions move forward in the House but get stalled in the Senate.
Their decision to support Cha-cha came a day after Padilla, who chairs the Senate constitutional amendments panel, threatened to resign from the party if it decides not to back his proposal to amend the Constitution’s economic provisions.
Padilla’s Cha-cha push is wildly different from the House’s version, which proposes a “hybrid” con-con composed of elected and appointed delegates who will propose amendments or revisions to the Constitution.
Among the core beliefs of PDP-Laban, regardless of the faction involved, is that political reforms through Cha-cha are needed in order to shift to a federal form of government.
But despite this, some senators from the Duterte faction had been cold to the idea, while Pimentel himself said now is not the time for Cha-cha.
Among Duterte's campaign pitches was a shift to federalism, although he eventually abandoned this proposal as this, too, languished in the Senate and in terms of public support.