Rodriguez to Zubiri on Cha-cha: Give us some good faith

House constitutional amendments panel chairperson Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro on Thursday pushed back on Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri's remarks on the motives of the House of Representatives in amending the 1987 Constitution, saying Zubiri should accord his colleagues good faith.

Zubiri on Tuesday remarked on the House's “rush” in approving Charter change measures.

In addition, Zubiri questioned the apparent delay in the approval of the implementing rules and regulations of three laws allowing the entry of more foreign capital into the country.

“That’s foul, that’s pure speculation that has no basis at all. The House has no control over the executive agencies tasked to implement the three laws by issuing implementing rules and regulations (IRRs),” Rodriguez said in a statement.

“My beloved Senate president from Mindanao may be seeing ghosts where there are none. He should overcome his fear of the unknown. He should give us, his former colleagues in the House of Representatives, and executive officials some good faith,” Rodriguez added.

Rodriguez then said that it is President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. who has the administrative control over the agencies mandated to issue IRRs and implement the three laws Zubiri referred to: the Public Service Act, Retail Trade Liberalization Law, and Foreign Investment Act.

GMA News Online has reached out to Zubiri's office for comment.

Rodriguez then stressed that the House only aims to rewrite the Constitution’s “restrictive” economic provisions so the country could entice more foreign investors.

“The restrictions that hamper investments are still there, because laws cannot amend the Constitution. The best proof that we want the envisioned constitutional convention to limit itself to the economic provisions is the seven-month deadline for this assembly to finish its job,” he said, referring to the tenure of the Constitutional Convention as provided under House Bill 7352 or the con-con bill.

Lawmakers Sonny Lagon of Ako Bisaya party-list and Jay-jay Suarez of Quezon backed Rodriguez.

“Charter change has been a core discussion ever since the term of former President Fidel Ramos. The bottom line is we need to tweak the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to invite more foreign investments here in the country, stimulate the economy and provide jobs to millions,” Lagon said in a separate statement.

“Sometimes, we mistake efficiency with rushing. All measures approved by the House of Representatives were discussed extensively, without sacrificing the free exchange of ideas and the deliberation of opposing views. The same thing can be said about RBH 6 and HB 7352,” Lagon added.

Suarez, for his part, said the Senators should keep an open mind on Charter change.

"As duly elected officials representing all districts from Mindanao, Luzon and Visayas, our counterparts in the Senate should study their position and acknowledge the need to revise the economic provisions of our Constitution. We are all in agreement that most of our laws covering foreign investments are very restrictive and has kept our hands tied for decades,” Suarez said.

"Senators should consider the gains that our country will get if our economy is opened up further,” Suarez added.

But House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro expressed her skepticism of claims that Charter Change is only about reviving the economy that was crippled by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

“They should not take us for fools. It is clear in our laws, jurisprudence, and historical precedents that Constitutional Convention has plenary powers, and Congress cannot limit its authority,” Castro said.

“If con-con wants to dance with political Cha-cha, it will happen, and it can remove the current guarantees we have on social justice, free access to education, women’s rights, and even anti-dynasty provision [of the current Constitution],” Castro added. — BM, GMA Integrated News