Senators yesterday said they will disclose their vote on proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution at the appropriate time.
This came in the wake of the challenge of House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe to all 24 senators to “open their cards” and show the Filipino public exactly where they stand on the issue of constitutional revision.
Senate finance committee chairperson Sonny Angara said the votes will be divulged at proper time.
Angara was designated as the chairperson of the subcommittee of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, which is hearing the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks to amend three specific provisions of the Constitution.
At present, Angara said senators still cannot lay down their position on Charter change as the hearings on RBH 6 just started last Monday.
Legal luminaries and constitutional experts and the country’s top economists tackled the legalities of “Cha-cha.” A second date for the hearing has yet to be set.
“I can see that the senators won’t make a decision in haste. They will think long and hard and listen. I hope it is the same practice in the House,” Angara said.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III stressed senators should be allowed to keep an open mind “at this stage.”
“At the proper time, the vote in the Senate will be by roll call or nominal voting. Hence, we will eventually be informed of each senators’ stand. At this stage, we are listening, and we should be allowed to keep an open mind,” explained Pimentel.
“Otherwise, what is then the point of all these consultations if we have already made up our minds at this time? Pointless to ask us of our stand now because that day will come and be recorded in official records,” he added.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, for his part, questioned Dalipe’s challenge to the senators.
“Who is he (to ask senators their vote)?” he said.
