LAWMAKERS on Wednesday rallied behind Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s proposal for the creation of a 20-member Constitutional Commission to help Congress, acting as Constituent Assembly, in drafting proposed Charter Changes to the 1987 Constitution.
Batangas Rep. Reneo Abu said President Rodrigo Duterte’s overwhelming popularity will play a crucial role in persuading Filipinos on the need to change to a federal form of government.
“President Rodrigo Duterte has played a big role in federalism. Even before he decided to run for presidency… he has been an advocate of federalism,” Abu said. “He goes around the country to explain to people what federalism is all about.”
Abu said once federalism is explained to the people, their support for the proposal would gain ground and snowball even before Congress starts its deliberations and the manner proposed by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez would make the process simpler.
Alvarez, on the other hand, said Charter Change will be done to serve the people’s interest and amendments will not be railroaded, particularly since it may lead to a total revision of the 1987 Constitution.
“When you revise the Constitution, you have to revise the entire Constitution,” Alvarez said. “Bear in mind that when there is a shift from a unitary to a federal form of government, you will be changing almost all the chapters in the Constitution.”
“Like the chapter on the legislative branch, chapter on the executive branch, chapter on the judiciary. You wil have to change a lot. And those changes will be connected to other chapters,” Alvarez added.
Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, meanwhile, said Charter Change has to be explained thoroughly to the Filipino people.
Quimbo said they will be willing to work double time to thoroughly discuss the proposed amendments and congressmen can utilize Thursdays and Fridays to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly to discuss amendments to the Constitution.
“It is just a matter of time management. We just have to make a system out of it,” Abu, for his part, said, stressing that Mondays, Tuesdays Wednesdays can be used for regular legislative work such as attending sessions and committee hearings.
Quimbo said he is opposed to a Constitutional Convention as this would duplicate Congress. “I am sure they can make sacrifices. Our colleagues are very hardworking. And I think they can prove to their constituents that they are indeed worthy of their votes.”
Castro also proposed that deliberations can either be made in shifts, taking up proposed amendments in the morning or afternoon and holding congressional sessions at night, or vice versa.
Alvarez had earlier said he would proposed that Duterte issue an executive order creating a constitutional commission composed of about 20 individuals.
Alvarez said the commission should include constitutional law experts, like former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., lawyer Reuben Canoy and San Beda Graduate School of Law dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino.
“They will be tasked to study and review the present constitution and then draft a new charter, which will be submitted to the constituent assembly where it will be discussed thoroughly,” Alvarez earlier explained.