PBBM: BICAM VOTING MAY END IMPASSE OVER CHACHA

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the government is now studying “bicameral voting” to resolve the ongoing “conflict” between two chambers of Congress on the issue of amending the 1987 Constitution.

In an interview with reporters during his concluded state visit in Vietnam, the chief executive said they are now studying the “simple solution” to break the ongoing impasse between the House of Representatives (HOR) and the Senate on the process for amendment.

“Now there’s advice that we are getting: the best analysis and interpretation that we have is that the legislature is of a bicameral nature and therefore that implies that they will vote separately,” Marcos said.

He noted he is now consulting Executive Secretary and former Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, former Senate president and Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, and other constitutionalists to determine how to execute those amendments.

“So the details have not yet been decided upon. That is precisely what we will be working on,” Marcos said.

Marcos earlier said he supports the ongoing move in Congress to change some economic provisions of the Constitution, which will allow more foreign ownership in the country.

However, the Senate rejected the proposed “joint voting” by the HOR since the votes of the 24 senators will be overwhelmed by the 316 votes from HOR members under the said scheme.

Signature sheets custody

WHILE the matter remains unresolved, the People’s Initiative (PI) led by the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization Action (Pirma) to initiate the amendment continues.

This even after the Commission on Elections announced it is suspending indefinitely acceptance of the signature sheets from Pirma as it reviews its guidelines for initiative on the Constitution and referendum on national and local legislation.

Comelec Chairman George M. Garcia urged Pirma on Wednesday to withdraw the signature sheets from the concerned city/ municipal Offices of the Election Officers (OEOS).

“If I were the proponent, it would be better if they get the [signature sheets] received by Comelec since they may be able to take better care and protect the documents. Because Comelec offices are small, therefore it might go missing or get wet [there],” Garcia said in Filipino in an interview with reporters.

However, he said the poll body will do its best to properly preserve the signatures, while it is within its jurisdiction.

Comelec can only initiate the validation of the signatures once PIRMA gets the necessary number of signatures of the total number of registered voters from all legislative districts and files the needed petition for it.

As of Monday, it already received the signatures for the PI from 1,129 cities and municipalities, which comprise 210 legislative districts.