No term limit for lawmakers in House panel draft federal charter a ‘collegial’ decision, Arroyo says

The proposal to lift the term limits of lawmakers under the House Committee on Constitutional Amendment's draft federal charter is one decided by the entire body, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said, and not hers alone.

Arroyo made the remark on Monday after Ding Generoso, spokesperson for the Consultative Committee tasked to propose constitutional amendments, said that the panel's proposed federal charter that she and some of her colleagues introduced could be worse than the 1935 Constitution for lacking term limits for lawmakers.

"It's really a collegial decision," Arroyo told reporters when asked about the lifting of the term limits.

In its committee report, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments said it has considered and approved Resolution of Both Houses No. 15 which seeks to propose revisions in the 1987 Constitution without amendments.

In their draft, members of the legislative branch will have a term of four years with no term limit provided.

On the other hand, the Con-com's draft, which is separate from the House panel's version, specifically states that senators and congressman may not serve for more than two consecutive terms.

But Arroyo said that almost all provisions in the House panel's draft federal charter were based on what the Con-com has submitted.

"The only thing I added was a provision that instead of establishing the federal states, there’s a mechanism establishing the federal states," she said.

"All the other provisions were already submitted by the Con-com and everyone else," she added.

The report of the House Committee on Constitutional Affairs, as well as its accompanying resolution, has already been endorsed to the plenary for consideration on second reading. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News