RBH 6 still alive — barely

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros expressed confidence Monday that Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks to amend economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, would be thrown in the wastebasket.

“I think they’re right that they won’t be able to form a majority. The initial statement that they already had 18 (votes) is really inaccurate. So, I definitely feel more confident that we have a fighting chance to gather at least seven, which we need to put down RBH 6,” Hontiveros said in a press briefing.

Earlier, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri admitted that the eventual passage of RBH 6 was going to be a “big challenge” for him.

Zubiri, one of the authors of RBH 6, pointed out that the recent squabble between the Senate and the House of Representatives could be a factor.

The Senate chief said he had informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. about the potential rejection of the measure, which the President considers crucial for attracting foreign direct investments to the country.

“I mentioned it to the President. We could still get 18 votes but at this point in time, it’s a challenge but the commitment is we are going to have a debate about it,” Zubiri said.

For Hontiveros, the situation remains “fluid,” as the Sub-committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, chaired by Senator Sonny Angara, is still in the process of discussing RBH 6.

“But what I can tell you is that I can assure you that I am hopeful that we can gather at least seven votes to defeat, to deny RBH 6 the 18 votes needed for approval,” she said.

‘All-time low’

For Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, the credibility of the President among senators has reached an “all-time low,” particularly on the topic of Charter change.

At the House of Representatives, there’s still hope the Senate would pass RBH 6.

“As of now, that’s still speculative. [But I] still believe that the Senate will be able to pass it,” House Majority Leader Manual Jose Dalipe told reporters.

The House has its own RBH 7 vis-avis the Senate version. Both measures aim to eliminate the economic restrictions in the Constitution on foreign ownership of public utilities, educational facilities, and the advertising industry, under Articles 12, 14 and 16, respectively.

The only distinction between RBH 6 and 7 is the manner of voting. The senators are insistent on both houses of Congress voting separately if they would be formed into a Constituent Assembly to tackle the amendments. The House initially pushed joint voting by both chambers.