Bayan Muna partylist reps lead anti-constituent assembly campaign in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Two representatives of Bayan Muna partylist to the Congress were in Cebu yesterday to lead the campaign against the proposal to amend the country’s constitution.

Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño, spearheaded the nationwide launching of the “Atras Con-Ass” campaign in Cebu by urging the people and other congressmen not to support the plan to amend the country’s charter before the 2010 elections.

As early as 6:30 a.m., both opposition lawmakers were in Carbon Market in Cebu City to call on Cebuanos to convince their district representatives to withdraw support for constituent assembly.

The militant lawmakers and their supporters made a successful launch of the Cebu anti-con-ass campaign by distributing anti-charter change leaflets and seeking voters’ signatures for the People’s Petition Against Con-Ass.

Cebu, the second biggest vote-rich province in the country with 2.2 million registered voters, is considered a bailiwick of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for delivering more than a million votes for her in the 2004 elections.

In a forum, Ocampo told Cebuanos that the most fitting tribute to give former president Cory Aquino is to stop con-ass and other moves to change the 1987 Constitution.

“President Aquino opposed until her death last August 1, the con-ass. You must tell the district and partylist lawmakers you elected into office of your stand against con-ass.

You can do this by petitioning your district and partylist congressmen to withdraw support from Arroyo and her con-ass, or else, they lose your vote in the next elections,” Ocampo and Casiño said in a joint statement.

Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia recently moved to transmit to the Senate controversial House Resolution 1109 (HR 1109) convening Congress into a con-ass in the move to amend the constitution.

“In the wake of the strong public protest against con-ass, we know that many of the district and party list representatives are now wavering in their support for charter change. The people have to campaign hard to convince them to completely withdraw support for con-ass,” Casiño said. — Johanna T. Natavio/WAB (THE FREEMAN)