Selfish interests in play if lawmakers tinker with Charter, Lacson says

Selfish interests might come into play if lawmakers are allowed to draft amendments to the constitution, a senator said on Monday.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said this was the reason why he was in favor of a constitutional convention rather than a constituent assembly as the mode of changing the Charter.

“I dont trust us. Kung babaguhin ang ating Charter, although sinasabi nila na mas magastos pero mas mainam ang constitutional convention para naka-focus ang trabaho ng delagado sa pagbabalangkas, paga-amend, o pagre-revise ng Charter,” Lacson said on GMA News TV’s News To Go.

“Kung ipapaubaya sa mambabatas ang pagbabalagkas ng ating Charter dahil alam naman natin na may kanya-kanyang self-interest yung mga mambabatas  at baka kung ano ang mangyari, baka maging self-serving,” he added.

A constitutional convention is made up of elected delegates who are mandated to revise the Charter.

A constitutional assembly, on the other hand, is made up of incumbent lawmakers who are given the task.

“Pag revision e pwede ka magdelete ng buong provision at palitan ng bago. Baka magamit sa personal na interest,” Lacson said.

“Baka in the long run, alam naman natin yung kultura sa legislature baka maraming concessions na hihingin sa Palasyo para lang maipasa sa kung ano ang gusto ng Malacanang na provisions na papalitan o babaguhin,” he added.

Lacson added that the issue on whether members of the Senate and House of Representatives would vote jointly or separately under a constituent assembly remained unclear and may even be brought before the Supreme Court.

“Masyadong kontrobersyal, baka yung public acceptance ay maapektuhan kung ipapaubaya sa mambabatas ang pagbabalangkas ng Constitution,” Lacson said.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said President Rodrigo Duterte has already changed his mind as regards his favored means of changing the constitution.

Alvarez said the President was now supporting convening Congress as a constituent assembly after previously airing his preference for a constitutional convention.

The reason given was the cost of having to elect delegates to a constitutional convention.

Senate Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon said Congress should debate on the best mode to amend the Constitution, taking into consideration the views of all stakeholders, the President, and Constitutional and legal experts.

Drilon is the author of Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 at the Senate calling for a constitutional convention to review the 1987 Constitution. He is the chairman of Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes and laws that will hear all measures calling for the amendment of the Constitution.

As its chairman, Drilon vowed to give the resolution to amend the Constitution “the highest the priority.”

He said the committee will take it up as soon as the organization of the Senate is finalized and completed.

Drilon said the Congress has the sole authority to decide on the mode of amending the Constitution adding that that unlike ordinary bills, a resolution calling for a review of the Constitution is not subject to the approval of the President.

“The mode of amending the Constitution, whether by Constitutent Assembly or Constitutional Convention, is the sole prerogative of Congress. A resolution calling for a Con-con or Con-Ass does not need the approval of, and cannot be vetoed by, the President,” he said.

He added that it is the Filipino people who will ultimately decide whether or not they will ratify the amendments to the Constitution.

“The amendments to the Constitution itself are not approved, and cannot be vetoed, by the President, but is submitted directly to the people for approval or rejection in a plebiscite,” Drilon said. —NB, GMA News