Drilon: Postpone proposed amendments to ‘restrictive’ economic provisions in 1987 Constitution until next Congress

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday said it would be better to take up the "restrictive" provisions in the 1987 Constitution once the 19th Congress sits in mid-2022.

"Between now and February is just about a year. Is there enough time? Assuming na ang sinasabi ng proponent na ilalagay lang ang “unless otherwise provided by law” iyan naman ay puwede gawin next year. Wala naman kaagad epekto iyan," Drilon told reporters in an online interview.

"Ako’y hindi tumututol na luwagan natin ang Saligang Batas pagdating sa economic provisions. Ang tanong, dapat ba ngayon? Hindi ba pwedeng ipagpaliban until June of next year?" he added.

Further, Drilon said there are a lot of pending bills in Congress which could provide immediate response to economic difficulties, such as the corporate income tax reform bill, and the amendments to the Public Service Act at Retail Trade Liberalization Act.

The inconsistency of rule of law, peace and order, corruption and red tape are also important considerations to factor in on why the country is finding it hard to attract foreign direct investments, he added.

"Hindi kailangan sa ngayon ang pagbabago ng Saligang Batas. Puwede pong maghintay 'yan at ang suggestion ko, pagdating ng next Congress, 'yan po on top of the legislative agenda para po mabuksan ang debate kung Con-Ass (Constituent Assembly) ba o Con-Con (Constitutional Convention)," he further said.

Con-ass and con-con are two out of only three modes of changing the Constitution. The third alternative is a "People's Initiative."

In a Con-Ass, members of Congress are convened to amend the Constitution. In a Con-Con, the people who will amend the Charter will be elected by the people.

"Kailangan ba tayong maghalal ng mga delegado para sa pagbabago ng ating Saligang Batas? Dahil aaminin ko na, ang taumbayan ay wala rin tiwala na ang Kongreso at Senado ang magbabago ng Saligang Batas," Drilon said.

The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments conducted a hearing on the so-called economic charter change last week wherein its chairperson Ako Bicol party-list representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. claimed that the panel was already sitting as a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass)

The congressman later on said the deliberation was an exercise of a constituent power rather than a Con-Ass. — RSJ, GMA News