Rody open to Con-Ass to amend Constitution
CONTRARY to his previous pronouncements, President Rodrigo Duterte has reportedly changed his mind and is now open for Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) as a medium to amend the 1987 Constitution.
During a forum by the Management Association of the Philippine (MAP) in Makati City, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez disclosed that Duterte already agreed to go for Con-Ass rather than Constitutional Convention (Con-Con).
Alvarez said the chief executive was convinced by Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno during the meeting of the National Security Council in Malacañang on Wednesday.
Diokno argued that Duterte's original proposal to call for an election of Con-Con delegates is highly expensive.
“President Duterte agreed last night [with Diokno]...The [proposal will cost the] national government around P6-7 billion if we will pursue Con-Con,” said Alvarez.
Meanwhile, the House leader allayed fears that Con-Ass can be used by lawmakers for their own vested interest, saying consultations with various sectors will be regularly done to inform the public on its status.
“I assure with the blessing of President Duterte, gagawin namin to nang tama… the Duterte Administration is very determined to do it. We will hold series of dialogues and consultations with various groups para malaman ng publiko ang kabutihan ng federalismo,” said Alvarez.
Alvarez said lawmakers acting as members of Con-Ass will have one year to finish the revised draft of the proposed new constitution. The final draft will be ratified by the public through a plebiscite which, in their time table, will be held during the 2019 mid-term polls.
If the public later agreed during the referendum and accepted the new constitution, there will be a transition government for three years and an election will be held by 2022 under the new charter. SUNNEX