Tolentino on Cha-cha: Let all voices be heard

As Congress tackles revived initiatives to amend the 1987 Constitution, Senator Francis Tolentino said the views of the people should take centerstage. 

"Let it evolve through a process. Let all the voices be heard so let this undergo a process," the vice chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes said.

Tolentino said the Resolution of Both Houses that was recently approved by a House of Representatives panel will be tackled by Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes.

"I think it will pass through Senator Padilla’s committee," he said when asked about the House measure.

The House resolution seeks charter amendments through a constitutional convention (con-con).

Tolentino said con-con is more democratic in terms of electing new delegates to draft and revise the constitution and is more palatable to critics.

Under the 1987 Constitution, one of the measures to amend the charter is via con-con, a scheme whereby delegates from each district will be elected by the public to be a delegate of the commission which would draft the new charter.

The House panel, however, has yet to identify which specific provisions of the Constitution will be amended.—LDF, GMA Integrated News