PUBLIC HEARINGS SET ON CHARTER CHANGE

We will no longer wait for the Senate to act. HOUSE SPEAKER PANTALEON ALVAREZ

The House of Representatives is now in the process of amending the 1987 Constitution to pave the way for a federal form of government, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Monday.

At a press conference, Alvarez said both chambers of the 17th Congress need not to convene as a Constuent assembly to amend the present constitution.

Contradicting even the stance of majority lawmakers in the House, Alvarez argued that nowhere in the constitution states that the lawmkers must convene in a joint session.

Alvarez cited XVII section 1 of the 1987 Constitution provides that any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by: the Congress, upon a vote of threefourths of all its Members; or a constitutional convention.

“Meron bang sinabi dun sa saligang batas na kailanagng magjoint session kami o magconvene kami? Wala. So bakit natin bigyan ng ibang kahulugan?” he said.

“Tuloy-tuloy kami diyan tapos pupunta kami sa bayanbayan. Ipapaliwanag namin yan, didinggin namin ang taong bayan magsalita at pag natapos na kami diyan ready na kami sa proposal, we will submit it for the approval of the people through a plebescite or referrendum,” he added.

The interpretation of Alvarez disregards the concurent House Resolution 9 compelling the Con- gress to convene in a joint session to discuss any amendments in the 1987 Constitution.

The resolution was approved by the House of Representatives only last week.

Alvarez stressed that the House of Representatives alone can satisfy the three fourths required by the constitution amd because of this, they should not need to wait for the senate.

“Wala na tayong paguusapang constituent assembly. I-comply lang natin yung three-fourths votes ng congress.” “Hindi na kami magaantay sa aksyon ng Senado. Tuluy-tuloy ang public hearing natin. Nagpapa-schedule na ako,” he added.

Earlier in the day the chair of the committee on constitutional amendment Roger Mercado said the House is now awaiting the resolution of the senate on what mode they prefer to use to amend the Constitution.

Alvarez said they still aim to submit their proposed amendments to the Constitution to the public for voting, during the May 2018 barangay elections.