Palace leaves fate of Cha-cha to Congress
Malacañang refused to comment on the move of the House of Representatives to approve four proposals as amendments to the 1987 Constitution, and assured that President Duterte will not meddle in their affairs.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after members of the chamber’s Committee on Constitutional Amendments voted to approve four proposed amendments to the Constitution in an executive session.
The amendments approved were: empowering Congress to relax the limits to foreign investments in the country by mere legislation; tandem voting for the president and vice-president; five-year terms for senators, congressmen and local executives with a maximum of three consecutive terms; and the election of senators by region with three senators per region and the country divided into nine regions.
In an interview over CNN Philippines Friday, Panelo said that it was up to Congress if it would move to change the Constitution.
“Hindi natin alam ‘yon. Depende ‘yan sa mga miyembro ng Kongreso. Hindi nangingialam ang Presidente diyan (We do not know that. That depends on Congress. The President does not interfere on their affairs),” he said.
Panelo said the Palace would leave it to Congress for now, but it would ultimately be the public which will decide on it.
“Sa ngayon siguro papabayaan na lang muna natin ang mga nasa loob ng Kongreso dahil sila ang mag-aaral niyan (We’ll leave them be for now because the Congress will be the one working on it),” he said.
“’Yang mga panukalang Saligang Batas (Proposals to amend the Constitution), ultimately the people will decide on that,” he added.
President Duterte was campaigning for a shift to a federal government but gave up on it in June this year. He, however, insisted that the Constitution should be changed.
“If you do not want federalism, fine. But change the Constitution that would really change this nation,” he said early this year.
Duterte has been pushing for a federal government, believing this would trigger countryside development. However, the President hinted that he might just opt to have economic provisions in the current Constitution amended.