Cory fever puts brakes on Charter change

MANILA, Philippines -- The outpouring of grief for the passing of former President Corazon Aquino may discourage proponents of Charter change -- which the democracy icon had opposed -- from pursuing the matter at this time, lawmakers said on Thursday.

“Considering the death of President Corazon Aquino, the popular sentiment is not to go against her wishes,” Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga said.

Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, who has opposed a resolution calling for a constituent assembly, said Aquino’s death and the accolades that poured for her put “psychological and political pressure” on the measure’s backers.

He agreed that supporters of the resolution have been rethinking their stand since the calls to junk House Resolution 1109 were highlighted with Aquino’s death.

“For the moment, the favorable factors against con ass or charter change are there,” he said.

But Ocampo said the opposition should remain vigilant because President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s allies could still push for Charter change if the fervor over the democracy icon died down.

Barzaga acknowledged that not enough lawmakers would come forward to deliver the necessary three-fourths vote to propose changes in the Constitution in a constituent assembly, as proposed in HR 1109.

He reiterated, however, that the only aim of HR 1109 was to trigger a justiciable controversy for the Supreme Court to answer the issue of whether the House alone could propose changes to the Charter as long as it got the required three-fourths votes.

Other members of the House majority, however, said the issue of charter change had long been dead even before the former President passed away.

Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said many of his colleagues reconsidered their stand on HR 1109 during their month-long recess.

“I think HR 1109 is already a lost cause. Many members of the House have accepted the fact that it is no longer constitutionally possible to propose amendments to the Constitution without the participation of the Senate,” Defensor said.

Another lawmaker, Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, said the House had junked Charter change.

“Nobody would want to touch it anymore,” he said. “It’s too close to the elections to come up with amendments. It’s a very divisive issue. And Malacañang is always blamed for it,” he said.

Copyright 2009 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.