Vice Gov. Ronquillo Tolentino said the "best way to amend the 1987 Constitution is to hold a Constitutional Convention (Concon) instead of a constituent assembly (Con-ass) as proposed by Congress."
He said, "the shift to parliamentary form of government through Con-ass is expecting a tough battle with the Senate and the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP). The House of Representatives earlier approved Resolution 197 to allow the pro-Palace congressmen to exercise their constituent powers to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution pursuant to Section 1, Article 17. But over the weekend, it backtracked due to widespread public protests."
Speaker Jose De Venecia also decided to hold the May 10, 2007 elections to provide the lasting structures and to enhance the country’s political stability and economic growth. He challenged the Senate to a Con-con to amend the 1987 Charter.
"This (Con-con) is a better political exercise than convening the Congress as a constituent assembly that can easily become self-serving for the few. The changing of the Constitution requires the participation and total transparency to the people," Tolentino added.
CBCP and the opposition blasted congressmen for changing the House Rules to convert the House into a Con-ass, citing the move is highly immoral, fraudulent and self-serving. The clergy said they support the proposal to amend the Charter by way of Con-con.
The Resolution 197 constituting the Congress as constituent assembly was done "with indecent haste and fraught with legal infirmity and may be questioned before the Supreme Court," Tolentino stressed.
As this developed, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Aklan chairperson George Calaor also denounced the Malacañang desperate maneuvering to remain in power and fulfill the illusion of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo towards dictatorship.
"While ‘no-elections’ tactic becomes the plan of Malacanang in misleading the people for the truth behind the charter change, Arroyo is manipulating her electoral victory for 2007 by appointing her conspirators in strategic departments and agencies to ensure her ‘forever stay’ in power," Calaor pointed out. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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