Grace Poe bats for con-con route in admin’s Cha-cha bid

Senator Grace Poe on Thursday said that a constitutional convention (con-con) was the “best and most acceptable” mode to pursue Charter change (Cha-cha).

Poe made the suggestion amid statements from Congress leaders that Cha-cha would be pursued through a constituent assembly (con-ass) to pave the way for the shift to federalism.

“Given the extent of the proposed changes in the Constitution, I maintain that having a constitutional convention is the best and most acceptable mode to take, even if it appears impractical to some,” Poe said. 

“In a con-con, revisions to the highest law of the land is tackled with transparency, debated upon by the experts, and shall be decided ultimately by the people and not just those in Congress,” she added.

In a con-ass, members of Congress are convened to amend the Constitution. In a con-con, the people who will amend the charter are either elected by the people.

If, however, the Senate decides on con-ass, Poe said she would support the position of Senator Panfilo Lacson that the both chambers of Congress should vote separately.

“I support the position of Senator Ping Lacson that the bicameral congress should vote separately as was actually intended by the framers of the charter,” Poe said. 

“Any move for a literal interpretation that would obliterate the relevance of the entire Senate by the 300-member lower House in the voting must be rejected for being contrary to spirit of the 1987 Constitution,” she added.

Lacson said he will file a resolution next week that would constitute the Senate as a separate ConAss to ensure that the upper chamber is not rendered irrelevant in amending the Constitution. —NB, GMA News