Solons begin fresh moves to change Charter

MANILA, Philippines—With the fate of the controversial House resolution seeking to convene a constituent assembly in limbo, proponents of a separate resolution for a constitutional convention have begun fresh moves to change the Charter.

At the hearing of the committee on constitutional amendments Tuesday, La Union Representative Victor Ortega, the chairman of the committee, instructed a technical working group to consolidate into one version all bills and resolutions on constitutional convention.

Ortega said that he personally wanted to hold the voting of the constituent assembly delegates simultaneous with the May 2010 presidential election.

House Resolution 1109, approved in plenary in June, seeks to convene a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution. But several lawmakers both from the majority and the minority are against it because it will bypass the Senate. The House leadership has yet to decide what to do next with the resolution.

Earlier in the hearing, the proposed Concurrent Resolution 26 of Paranaque Representative Roilo Golez seeking to refer the matter of calling a constitutional convention in referendum was defeated.

Quezon province Representative Lorenzo Tañada III said that a referendum would be a risky option, saying a defeat of the constitutional convention mode could make constituent assembly the only option left for the public.

He said it was better that delegates to the convention were elected so that revisions in the Charter could begin after the 2010 election.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.