Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 31) — Senator Robinhood Padilla, who chairs the upper chamber’s committee on constitutional amendments, admits that the proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution may not reach the plenary level.
“Ako naman kung ano pakiramdam ko siyempre may kaunting kalungkutan pero di nababalot ng kasawian sapagkat naniniwala tayo na tayo ay nagtrabaho 6 am hanggang 10 pm. Kasama natin ang ating legal team, nag-aral kami, nag-research kami, sapat na ito at nakuha natin ang suporta ng ayon sa isang survey 30% ng Pilipino naniniwala na dapat magkaroon ng amyenda sa Saligang Batas,” he told reporters.
[Translation: I’m slightly sad of course but I’m not totally down because I know that we worked from 6am to 10pm. Together with the legal team, we analyzed it, we researched about it, and we got the support because survey showed that 30% of Filipinos believe that there should be amendment on the Constitution.]
Padilla released the draft committee report on the proposed charter change, which seeks to amend the economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution through a constituent assembly.
During the assembly, both the Senate and the House of Representatives will vote separately on possible amendments which will then be decided by the electorate in a plebiscite.
The neophyte lawmaker said he already sent a copy of the draft report to his colleagues on Wednesday.
“Sana po mga mahal kong seniors and contemporaries, sana po basahin lang po. Yun lang masaya na po ako doon,” said Padilla.
[Translation: I’m hoping my dear seniors and contemporaries, you will find time to read it. I’m already happy with that.]
Padilla’s ally Senator Ronald Dela Rosa on Wednesday also said he and the rest of the PDP-Laban bloc in the Senate – Senators Francis Tolentino, Bong Go – have already accepted that the push for a charter change may not make it to the Senate floor.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva earlier said the charter change proposal will undergo the usual legislative procedure.
The committee report should have signatures of at least nine senators for it to move on to the plenary debates. But only Dela Rosa, Tolentino, and Go have confirmed to back the measure.
With the possible doomed fate of the proposal, Padilla said that he will still continue to fight for his proposals.
“Kailangan sa laban na ito tuloy tuloy. Siguro maaaring sa susunod na taon uulitin natin ito, baka sakali mag iba ihip ng hangin,” he said.
