Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 13) — The proponent of charter change in the Senate said he will not ask President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for help in pushing the agenda.
Senator Robin Padilla on Monday, chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, was asked about the possibility of seeking an audience with the president amid the lack of support for charter change in the Senate.
“Hindi ko kailanman matatanggap na kailangan kong mag-bow na hindi naman ito sa mandato niya,” Padilla said in a media interview. “Hindi ko talaga magagawa, parang sinabi ko na ang Senado nasa ilalim ng executive.”
[Translation: I can never accept that I have to bow, considering that this is not part of his mandate. I really cannot do it, it’s like saying the Senate is under the executive.]
Marcos said last month that charter change is not a priority. It’s also not among the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
Over the weekend, Senate President Juan Miguel \”Migz\” Zubiri said support for charter change lacks the numbers. It will need the vote of three-fourths of the chamber or 18 senators.
In a separate media interview on Monday, Senator JV Ejercito said senators \”have not received any signal yet from the president himself kaya siguro (which is perhaps why) the Senate has been busy with other equally important issues.\”
“We maintain our independence but at the same time ano iyan e, kumbaga critical collaboration. Alam niyo naman ang Senate, we have remained as the fiscalizer of government but also we are very supportive of the administration’s main programs,” Ejercito said.
[Translation: We maintain our independence but at the same time that is a critical collaboration. You know the Senate has remained as the fiscalizer of government but also we are very supportive of the administration’s main programs.]
Padilla said he does not want to be known as the committee chairman who sought the president’s help to pass charter change. His proposal involves convening Congress as a constituent assembly to introduce amendments to economic provisions in the Constitution.
“Makarating lang ako sa plenaryo ke bumoto ng 23 yan na laban sa constituent assembly or sa charter change, makarating lang ako sa plenaryo, I’m happy,” Padilla said.
[Translation: I’m happy just reaching the plenary, even if 23 other senators vote against constituent assembly or charter change.]
“Kailangan pong madinig kasi yun ang diwa ng demokrasya. Para sa akin tagumpay na marinig ito sa apat na sulok ng plenaryo at madinig ko rin kung ano yung mga sasabihin ng ating mga mahal na senador officially,” he added.
[Translation: It needs to be heard because that is the essence of democracy. I will consider it a victory if charter change will be heard and debated in the four corners of the plenary.]
Padilla again appealed to counterparts in the House of Representatives to limit the proposed constitutional changes to economic provisions — sparing political provisions — to avoid a deadlock like what happened in previous Congresses.
He aims to come up with a committee report to be debated and approved in the plenary by August. He wants the plebiscite on charter change to be held simultaneously with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October.
“Pero sana lang po matapos na po namin ng August kasi pag hindi po nagawa ng August, ay 2025 na po iyan. Kasi hindi naman po ako papayag na magkaroon ng special na plebisito, gagastos pa ang taumbayan para dito,” he added.
