Cha-cha reviewers to take oath next week

Members of Malacañang’s consultative committee for revisions in the Constitution are set to take their oath of office before President Duterte on Feb. 13, which is also the start of their six-month period to make recommendations.

Former senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, member of the committee, yesterday said that 19 of the 25 members, including former chief justice Renato Puno, met last Thursday and agreed to meet with Duterte.

Pimentel said the committee members also discussed the nature of their job and agreed to work five days per week to meet their July 24 deadline, or a week before the State of the Nation Address so Duterte can present the committee’s recommendation to Congress.

“Of course this job involves a little bit of rush because what I’ve read from Duterte’s pronouncements, he wants the revision of the Constitution done before his term ends, as soon as possible,” he said.

“In my case, because federalism has been my advocacy for a long time, I already distributed my proposal to the members. Yung iba, wala pa (others are yet to submit theirs),” he added.

The next meeting of the consultative committee is on Feb. 13.

In Pimentel’s estimate, the shift to federalism will happen within the next two years, or before the fifth year of Duterte’s six-year term.

Pimentel also proposed to add more women and representatives from the indigenous peoples in the consultative committee to ensure that every sector is well-represented.