Senators welcome Charter review panel

Senators yesterday cited President Duterte for convening on Thursday 19 members of the consultative committee led by former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno tasked to review proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the Chief Executive’s move is a “good and welcome development.”

But he said the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes and Laws should continue its hearings, especially those that will be conducted in Mindanao, Cebu, and Baguio City, “and hear the testimony of the resource persons.”

“The study or report of Puno Commission will be an input in the report of the Constitutional Amendments Committee, and the debates in plenary,” Drilon said.

Senate President Koko Pimentel, who earlier announced that the Senate and House of Representatives have decided to concentrate on drafting proposed changes in the 1987 Constitution, echoed Drilon’s statement.

“That is a welcome development and that is part of the Executive's effort to review the current Constitution. Legislative will have its own mechanisms,” Pimentel said.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III said the President told them of his plan to form the commission since last year. “He told us about that last year pa. It can be useful to us,” Sotto said.

Among the members of the commission are former Senate President Nene Pimentel Jr., former SC Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, Radio Mindanao Network founder lawyer Reuben Canoy, former SC Justice and Solicitor General Antonio Nachura Jr., former dean of the De La Salle University College of Liberal Arts Julio Cabral Teehankee, and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law.

The appointment papers of the committee chairman and the 18 members were signed by the President last Jan. 24 and released to the media on Thursday.