Tag: Con-Ass

Comelec suspends people’s initiative proceedings to amend Charter

(Eagle News)–The Commission on Elections has suspended people’s initiative  proceedings aimed at amending the 1987 Constitution. In suspending “everything,” including the acceptance by Comelec local offices of signatures required to file a petition for the proposal, indefinitely, the poll body noted that there was a need to review and revise people’s initiative guidelines contained in Comelec Resolution No. 10650. The indefinite suspension was welcomed by senators, who had earlier already expressed concerns over the initiative […]

Arroyo files reso saying House and Senate will vote separately in Con-Ass

(Eagle News) — Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday, Aug. 7, filed a resolution “expressing the position” of the House of Representatives that it and the Senate will vote separately once they convene into a Constituent Assembly to propose changes in the Constitution. “Whereas, the House of Representatives is taking the same position of the Senate thereon,” House Resolution 2056 said. The move essentially breaks the deadlock between the Senate and the House of Representatives then-headed […]

Arroyo: House to vote separately from Senate in Con-Ass

(Eagle News) — The House of Representatives will vote separately from the Senate if Congress as a whole convenes into a Constituent Assembly to amend the Constitution. This is according to newly-elected Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose predecessor, Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, had insisted that voting for Charter Change should be done jointly by the two chambers of Congress. He noted that since the 1987 Constitution only requires 3/4 votes of  Congress for Cha-Cha, the House of […]

Some academics say Con-Ass not the way to go

(Eagle News)– A group allegedly composed of academics has expressed its opposition to amending the Constitution via a constitutional assembly. In a statement on Wednesday, the Professors for Peace said a more participatory approach that includes people from “all walks of life” should be resorted to in amending the Charter for the shift to a federal form of government. It clarified that some of its members supported federalism, others did not. Under a Con-ass, only […]

Pulse Asia: Over 60% of Filipinos against Cha-Cha, federalism

(Eagle News) — Many Filipinos are not in favor of Charter Change and federalism, a recent Pulse Asia survey said. According to Pulse Asia, 64% of Filipinos were opposed to amending the 1987 Constitution, a figure that was an increase from the 44% who opposed Charter change in another Pulse Asia survey in 2016. Of the figure, Pulse Asia said 32% were open to Charter change sometime in the future but not at present, while 32% […]

Alvarez: Only vote of 3/4 of members of Congress needed to amend Charter; Senate participation not needed

(Eagle News) — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday said the Senate’s participation was no longer needed to amend the Charter, noting that the Constitution only explicitly says that a three fourths vote of all members of Congress was needed. “Hindi naman kailangan. Wala na tayong pag-uusapan na (Constitutional Assembly),” he said in a press conference. He said in fact, the House of Representatives has already begun proposing amendments to the Constitution, even if the […]

Rep. Fariñas: No railroading of House reso seeking con-ass for Charter change

(Eagle News) — Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas on Thursday maintained the House resolution seeking for the convening of Congress into a constitutional assembly to amend the Charter was not railroaded. In making the statement, Fariñas effectively belied claims made by militant groups such as Gabriela and Bayan Muna about House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) No. 9. “It is a product of democratic and exhaustive debates not just in the plenary hall of the House of Representatives, in the […]

Lacson bats for expulsion of senators who will join House’s con-ass

(Eagle News) — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said he would move for the expulsion of senators who will join the House of Representatives in its constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution. Lacson said he made the suggestion in a caucus of senators on Tuesday. “Nobody objected,” he said. “Anyway, as of yesterday, wala namang may plano. I was just concerned that in case of that remote possibility na meron in the future, he or […]

Lacson: Senate to file reso calling for con-con should SC rule in favor of joint voting under con-ass

(Eagle News) — The Senate will file a resolution seeking for a Constitutional Convention should the Supreme Court decide in favor of joint voting to amend the 1987 Charter via a Constitutional Assembly. Senator Panfilo Lacson made the announcement during a Senate hearing on Charter Change on Wednesday. “If the SC would rule (as such), then we will no longer enter into an agreement with the House to meet in joint session. Instead, we will […]

Former CJ Davide: No need to amend PHL Constitution, “best” one in world

Proposed shift to federalism a “lethal experiment” By Meanne Corvera Eagle News Service Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide on Wednesday said there was no need to amend the Constitution, which he called the “best” in the world. Davide made the statement at the start of the Senate’s hearing on resolutions calling for the convening of the Upper House as a Constituent Assembly to amend the Constitution. Davide said the proposed shift to federalism was only […]

Colmenares: OVP to be abolished under “PDP-Laban Constitution”

(Eagle News)– There will no longer be an Office of the Vice President if the current proposal to amend the Constitution pushes through. According to former Rep. Neri Colmenares, under the “Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan Constitution,” Vice President Leni Robredo “will be ousted from her office long before her term ends in 2022.” “While PDP Laban may argue that they will not apply this to VP Robredo, this is not expressed in PDP Laban Constitution since […]

Senator Poe bats for Constitutional Convention

(Eagle News) — Senator Grace Poe on Thursday proposed to amend the Charter via a Constitutional Convention instead. Poe issued the statement after her colleague, Senator Panfilo Lacson, proposed to make amendments by convening the Senate as a Constitutional Assembly separate from the House of Representatives. “Given the extent of the proposed changes in the Constitution, I maintain that having a constitutional convention is the best and most acceptable mode to take, even if it […]