House gets Consa ball rolling

The House of Representatives got the Charter change (Cha-cha) ball rolling yesterday after 187 congressmen signed another resolution calling for Congress to convene into a constituent assembly (Consa) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

The new resolution, which follows an earlier resolution signed by 134 congressmen in March, outlines the plan and amendments that would shift the country’s form of government from presidential to parliamentary.

The move also comes two days after President Arroyo apparently "endorsed" the Cha-cha initiative, which seeks to abolish Congress and replace it with a unicameral parliament and shift to the federal system of government.

The new resolution was authored by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.; Western Samar Rep. Antonio Nachura, chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments; and Masbate Rep. Emilio Espinosa, Iloilo Rep. Raul Gonzalez and Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin — deputy speakers for Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, respectively.

The resolution, apparently designed as a joint resolution of both chambers of Congress, has yet to be passed by the nation’s 22 senators, most of whom have expressed opposition to the measure.

Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., who resigned as president of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party on Friday, also blasted the move as a "grand deception" that steers the country "on a dangerous path of a transition to perdition."

"This is solid proof that Charter change enjoys the strong support of the overwhelming majority of the people’s representatives in Congress," said one of the resolution’s co-authors, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the committee on accounts.

"I hope the Senate (will) heed the people’s clamor for meaningful constitutional reforms now, not later," Barbers said.

Tarlac Rep. Gilbert Teodoro, House whip of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), said the signing of 85 percent of the 220-man House precludes the possibility of a protracted debate and ensures that approved amendments will be implemented in time for the May 2004 elections.

"It shows that in the House, we are acting as one in response to the people’s overwhelming clamor for constitutional reforms," Teodoro said.

"With this resolution, the process of amending the Constitution through a constituent assembly will be less divisive, fast and efficient," Teodoro added.

The resolution was similar in substance to Concurrent Resolution No. 16 which was supported by 134 congressmen in March. Resolution No. 16’s counterpart version in the Senate was reported out of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments in August but favored a constitutional convention.

Transition To Perdition

Guingona twitted De Venecia’s claim that Mrs. Arroyo’s remarks when she declared her candidacy on Saturday was her "strongest endorsement" of Charter change.

Guingona, who resigned as president of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party last Friday, said the apparent efforts of De Venecia and other Lakas-CMD leaders to rush constitutional amendments through a constituent assembly "put the country on a dangerous path of a transition to perdition."

"Our people must be clarified and assured that the national elections in May 2004 will not be turned into a charade where those who will be elected president, vice president and senators will only serve transitional three-year terms, and not six as provided in the Constitution," Guingona said.

The Vice President noted that De Venecia and other Lakas leaders had earlier suggested that a constituent assembly immediately pass constitutional amendments that call for a shift from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government.

Lakas-CMD leaders have suggested that the proposed amendments be submitted for ratification in a plebiscite "in January or February next year," or only three months before the presidential, congressional and local elections on May 10.

Guingona said the scenario "means that the president to be elected in 2004 will be a lame duck chief executive with no real powers" except to prepare for the formation of a parliament to be headed by a prime minister, who will also serve as head of government.

He warned that "con-ass" proponents also intend to give the proposed parliament the "authority to legislate the opening up of the national patrimony to ownership and exploitation of foreigners."

"This removes the current protective mantle of the Constitution over our lands, seas, mineral resources and vital sectors of our economy, and allow rich foreign entities to own and exploit them simply through ordinary legislation," Guingona said.

He said that as "only four percent of the our people are aware of proposed amendments, what will likely happen is that the draft of Charter changes will be scripted in favor of the proponents with the true voice of the people not being heard."

Guingona reiterated that the Cha-cha proponents were making a "grand deception" in claiming that there exists a growing public clamor for a shift to a parliamentary form of government.

"We need a massive information drive on what a parliamentary system is all about even before we can talk of a constituent assembly," he said.