Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 27) — A framer of the 1987 Constitution on Thursday called out lawmakers for citing the existence of political dynasties as one of the reasons to amend it, saying it is a “lame excuse” for a Charter change.
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Former Commission on Elections chairman Christian Monsod said the Congress should not blame the Constitution for not having an anti-political dynasty provision.
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“Congress has not passed an anti-dynasty law for 35 years and blames the Constitution for the lapse. That is a lame excuse; the real reason is self-interest,” Monsod said during the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments hearing.
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“Instead of rushing to amend the Constitution, why don’t our legislators pass an anti-dynasty law?” he added.
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Other members of the panel, however, reason that some of the 36-year-old Constitution’s measures may not be attuned to policies today hence the proposal for amendments.
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WATCH: Legal experts, economists divided on Charter Change
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The House has begun hearings for at least nine measures filed in the 19th Congress proposing to revise some of the political or economic provisions in the Constitution.
