Arroyo still not giving up cha-cha
Con-Ass may cancel elections?
Published: November 26, 2006 by The Bohol Standard
With President Arroyo herself strongly mobilizing a force for one final push for charter change, the possibility of “no elections†next year again is hovering in the air.
The scenario loomed closer as the President gave her nod this week to push charter amendments via Constituents Assembly (Con-Ass).
Palace officials said they were not giving up on Charter change despite the setback at the Supreme Court.
“We respect the Supreme Court decision on the people’s initiative, but It will not stop us, however, from our advocacy that we need fundamental reform in order to remove the remaining stumbling block to our competitiveness;†Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said
Constituents Assembly is provided in Section 1 of Article 17 of the Constitution which states: “any amendment to, or revision of the Constitution may be proposed by Congress upon a vote of the three-fourths of all members.â€
Acting with precision, the House leadership immediately created a multi-party working group to finalize proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
House Speaker Jose De Venecia, Jr. is confident the body will be able to present to the public the reformed constitution before Nov. 30 or before Congress takes their Christmas break.
The working group includes Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, chairman of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Atty. Raul Lambino of the coalition Sigaw ng Bayan, Luis Villafuerte of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) Gilbert Teodoro of the Nationalists People’s Coalition (NPC), and Rep. Constantino Jaraula of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).
The selection came up during the first of the three caucuses which took place in Malacañang with President Arroyo and De Venecia presiding over the meeting. Two more caucuses will be held in the next six days.
The working group has been tasked to finalize the amendments or revisions to the Charter on or before Nov. 30, after which the document would be presented at a date still to be determined for approval by a three-fourths vote of all members of Congress.
Gabriel Claudio, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s adviser on political affairs, said the Supreme Court’s decision “formally activates†the constituent assembly (Con-ass) mode of changing the Constitution and there is still enough time (one month) to work on the matter before Congress takes its holiday break.
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