Joker: Cha-cha initiative off to a poisoned start

The move of the House of Representatives for Congress to convene into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution took off to a poisoned start, according to Sen. Joker Arroyo.

Blasting what he said was Speaker Jose de Venecia’s "relentless quest to be Prime Minister under a new Constitution," Arroyo questioned the manner of passage of House Concurrent Resolution No. 16 which is now pending before the Senate.

After reviewing the record of the House proceedings on March 19, Arroyo said it was obvious that the House did not have a quorum when it adopted the resolution through a mere voice vote around midnight.

"It is obvious that there was no quorum because anyone familiar with House proceedings would know that at midnight you could count by the fingers the congressmen who care to be present," the senator said in a statement.

"Such an important measure as amending the Constitution was treated like a measure that changes the name of a street. Amending the Constitution is a lot more important than passing an ordinary legislative measure," Arroyo added.

He said that a nominal, or roll call, vote should have been taken instead of the viva voce, or voice, vote where no head count was needed.

"Speaker de Venecia in his relentless quest to be Prime Minister under a new Constitution has trivialized the stringent requirements of amending the Constitution," Arroyo said.

"Speaker de Venecia has started on the wrong foot. How in the world can you pass an initiatory move to amend the Constitution in such a dubious fashion in the dead of night?" the senator said.

"The Senate cannot close its eyes to the fact that what is before it is the fruit of the poisoned tree and therefore must guard against anything that prostitutes the solemn requirements in amending the Constitution," Arroyo added.

But the principal proponents of Charter change (Cha-cha), led by De Venecia, are scheduled to meet again with Senate leaders this week on the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution No. 16.

Those expected to attend the meeting are Senators Edgardo Angara, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Vicente Sotto III and Robert Barbers.

Angara chairs the committee on constitutional amendments which, Senate sources said, would likely recommend Senate approval of Concurrent Resolution No. 16. – Jess Diaz