Senators still wary amid Arroyo resolution on Congress voting separately in con-ass

Even with Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s filing of a resolution stating that the Senate and House of Representatives will vote separately when a constituent assembly is convened, at least four senators are still wary on the possibility of the Senate being irrelevant under such setup.

Senate President Vicente Sotto said House Resolution 2056 affirms the position of the Senate that the two chambers should vote separately if Congress would convene into a constituent assembly and propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

“That's good because it fortifies our position but nevertheless, I will refer the resolution, as soon as its transmitted to us, to our committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes,” Sotto said in a message to reporters.

But Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Pangilinan remain apprehensive.

“The House should give up on convening Congress into a ConAss to do Cha-Cha. There is simply no time in the 17th Congress. And the possibility of (a) making the Senate irrelevant through joint voting and (b) a no-el scenario, generate mistrust on the process,” Drilon said in a separate text message.

Poe said the resolution is not an assurance as there are individuals who could always ask the Supreme Court to rule for joint voting.

“Maraming mga ibang puwedeng magkaroon ng hakbang na ganyan, kaya nag-i-ingat lang din tayo. Marahil si Speaker Arroyo ay mayroon ng resolusyon pero hindi ‘yon makakapigil sa mga ibang kasamahan niya na i-akyat pa ito sa korte,” she said.

She noted the high tribunal decision on the quo warranto petition which led to the removal from office of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“Talagang hindi ‘yan assurance, kasi ‘di ba dati ang impeachment ay talagang dumadaan lamang sa Kongreso at Senado, pero nakita naman natin na nagkaroon ng quo warranto noong ito’y inaksyunan nila at kinatigan sila,” she told reporters.

“So ngayon kahit na may resolusyon pa at kahit na may tradisyon pa na kinakailangan ay dumaan lang sa Kongreso at Senado ang pagpapalit ng Konstitusyon, baka mamaya ‘pag umakyat sila sa Korte Suprema ay sabihin ang opinyon ay voting jointly, delikado pa rin,” Poe added.

She said they should be extra careful amid efforts to change the form of government.

“Para sa akin kasi doble ingat ngayon na may nagbabadya talaga na pagpapalit ng sistema ng ating gobyerno. Kasi alam mo, bakit pa natin pagwawatak-watak ang ating bansa? ‘Yung para sa akin, kung kinakailangan na bigyan ng mas malaking pondo ang mga local government, ibigay ‘yung share nila dito sa pondo ng bayan,” she said.

Hontiveros said many senators are not convinced that the House will stick to voting separately.

“Basta con-ass, kahit pa voting separately ang ihahain ng bagong speaker, hindi po kasi pinagkakatiwalaan ang admininistrasyon na nagpakita na ng nakaparaming halimbawa ng hindi paggalang sa Constitution, na sila ang mag-amyenda sa Constitution, lalo na sa isang napakahalagang usapin katulad ng pagbabago ng form of government, pederalismo man iyan o parliamentary form of government,” she said.

Pangilinan said the resolution is just good on paper, but the senators will still have to be vigilant as nothing can stop congressmen from going to the SC to question the voting separately resolution.

“Ang concern ko nga, what will stop any member of Congress to go to the Supreme Court and telling: "Hindi, hindi 'yan voting separately. Voting jointly 'yan. Kaya nga 200 plus congressmen, kahit na wala 'yung mga senador eh pupwede na." Eh 'yun ang mahihirapan tayo dahil sabi nga nila: "Eh wala na. Tapos na ang boksing pagka ganyan”,” he said in a radio interview. 

GMA News Online was still trying to get the reaction of Arroyo as of posting time. — RSJ, GMA News