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Malacañang said it supports a Senate resolution seeking the
creation of constituent assembly to start Charter change initiatives
that would tackle federalism not only for Mindanao, but for the
whole country.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. had
filed Joint Resolution 10 on April 23, 2008 seeking the convening of
Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution to
establish a federal form of government.
At a press briefing Tuesday, Press Secretary
Jesus Dureza said, “Let me inform everyone that all systems are on
green light for ‘Cha-cha,’ and we are supporting Joint
Resolution number 10, which is pending in [the] Senate.”
Dureza announced that the resolution already had
the full support of 12 senators, and four more are expected to
support it.
The Palace is backing the resolution to debunk
charges that it is pushing for Charter change to extend the term of
President Gloria Arroyo beyond 2010 in the guise of setting up an
expanded autonomous region in Mindanao, he said.
Although the administration supports federalism
for the entire country, it is not shelving the “surgical
amendments” to the Constitution, Dureza added.
”In fact this is the for the purpose of
surgical changes . . . we are supporting a bigger opportunity for
the country to avail of federal setup,” he added. “We would like
to look at avenues for the establishment of the Bangsamoro entity.
And it could come about whether through surgical amendment as
proposed by Fr. [Joaquin] Bernas or by federalism. Surgical
amendment remains an alternative.”
There is still no House version of the
resolution, and the Secretary said that with the Palace’s support,
they hope the Lower House could start crafting a similar document.
“We expect that with the Palace support, some congressmen will do
the same initiative.”
He said the President strongly believes that
there must be reforms in the Constitution and downscale the
authority of central government by dissipating it in the local set
up.
Pimentel for federalism
Pimentel, who hails from Mindanao, pressed
Tuesday for constitutional amendment to provide for a shift to a
federal government despite claims that this would result in the
extension of the President’s term. “My joint resolution has
nothing to do with President Arroyo. There is no way that I or the
other opposition leaders would allow the extension of her term.”
“There is no way that we could be tilting
toward favoring President Arroyo. I’d rather resign than do
that,” Pimentel added.
His resolution was endorsed by Senate President
Manuel Villar, Edgardo Angara, Rodolfo Biazon, Pia Cayetano, Juan
Ponce Enrile, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Gregorio Honasan,
Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan, Bong Revilla, Juan Miguel
Zubiri, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda and Benigno Aquino 3rd.
Pimentel said his resolution calls for the
establishment of 17 federal states, including that of the Muslim
Mindanao federal state.
“There is no way that the Filipino people
would allow the establishment of a Bangasamoro federal state to the
exclusion of the rest of the country,” he added.
Not all sold
In a press statement, Senator Manuel “Mar”
Roxas 2nd said there was no present need to amend the Constitution,
whether to shift to federalism or to a parliamentary form of
government.
Roxas added that in addition to any agreement
delineating boundaries of a state, such as that of the proposed
Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, the agreement with the MILF should be
subject to a national referendum.
Also, militant party-list lawmakers lambasted
the Arroyo administration for its move for a Charter change by using
the Muslim issue.
In a press conference also on Tuesday, Bayan
Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza
Maza and Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano opposed the renewed bid of
President Arroyo to change the 1987 Constitution.
The militant lawmakers also criticized
Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon for his militaristic
ploy to push for Charter change.
Mariano said, “We all know that there is no
such thing as a ‘surgical amendment’ on the issue of a shift to
federalism. Once a constitutional convention or a constituent
assembly is convened, the floodgates will be opened to introduce
changes on any and all provisions of the Constitution.”
House to push ‘Cha-cha’
Despite the objection of militant lawmakers, the
House is expected to push Charter change.
La Union Rep. Victor Ortega, chairman of the
House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said he had conducted
an informal survey among congressmen, many of whom indicated
willingness to support Malacañang’s position that Charter
change is badly needed.
At a committee hearing, Ortega said that out of
123 respondents, 115 (94.26 percent) were in favor of amending the
Constitution in any manner. The survey also showed 62 respondents
favor Charter change through a constitutional assembly.
But 89 respondents were in favor of shifting to
a parliamentary form of government, compared with 56 who voted for
federalism. Some 70 respondents preferred to amend the Constitution
after 2010 elections.
-- Angelo S. Samonte, Efren L. Danao, Jomar Canlas and Sammy
Martin
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