Sotto to file bill amending party-list system in Philippines

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday said he would be filing a bill that would amend the party-list system to prevent groups working to "overthrow" the government from securing seats in Congress.

"To be able to address that particular concern of the President, what we can do is come up with a provision saying that if you are working for the overthrow of government, you cannot be qualified," Sotto said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

"There's no mention of Makabayan bloc or any sector... It will be the marginalized sectors that will be mentioned and qualified para maliwanag sino ang mga iyon and sino ang pwede magrepresent sa kanila. Lilinawan natin iyon," he added.

The bill would likely be filed on Monday, he said.

Dispelling speculations that the administration wants a term extension, Sotto previously disclosed that President Rodrigo Duterte has urged Congress to open the Constitution because he wanted the party-list system amended.

Duterte believes the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives is being used by the Communist Party of the Philippines

But Sotto said this concern may be addressed without amending the 1987 Constitution.

Asked if how he intends to get the cooperation of the House regarding this proposed bill, Sotto said: "My proposal is to amend the party-list law, not to abolish them so dapat makisama sila dito, makitulong sila dito kung ano ang tama."

Senator Panfilo Lacson would most probably be a co-author of the bill, he added.

On the other hand, some House lawmakers said that removing the party-list system would not solve the problem of communist rebellion in the country.

Republic Act 7941 or the Party-List System Act states that "party-list representatives shall constitute 20 percent of the total number of the members of the House of Representatives.

The law intends to "enable Filipino citizens belonging to the marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties, and who lack well-defined political constituencies" to be part of the House. — RSJ, GMA News