Cha-cha an exercise in futility, lawmaker says

Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar said yesterday that amending the Constitution through a constituent assembly is an exercise in futility because it will never get the concurrence of the Senate.

Del Mar, a proponent of federalism like Senators John Osmeña and Aquilino Pimentel Jr., pointed out that as of today, only two senators, Edgardo Angara and Robert Barbers, favor a constituent assembly while 14 prefer the calling of a constitutional convention.

Eighteen votes are needed in the Senate to pass the measure calling for a constituent assembly.

"The proponents of constitutional assembly must face up to the reality that the Senate prefers a constitutional convention," Del Mar said. "The sooner the House realizes this, the better for all of us so we can move on to have the desired constitutional changes through a process that is acceptable to the Senate, which is the constitutional convention route."

He added that even if the 18 senators vote for constituent assembly, the people would reject amendments proposed through it. He warned that the people, rightly or wrongly, would consider all proposals by a body composed of members of Congress as self-serving and highly partisan.

"The people will have trust and confidence in a body elected by the people to do the specific task of crafting Charter changes," Del Mar stressed.

In constituent assembly, amendments to the Constitution are proposed by the House and Senate sitting as a constituent body. A constitutional convention, on the other hand, is composed of delegates elected by the people precisely to propose constitutional amendments.

During the plenary debates last Tuesday on the House resolution for constituent assembly, Del Mar got the commitment of Rep. Eduardo Nachura, the measure’s sponsor, to consider the calling of a constitutional convention in June if the constituent assembly fails to gain ground in the Senate.

"A constitutional convention can be fast and cost-efficient like a constituent assembly but with a big difference – it is acceptable to the Senate and to the people, and this is what’s most important," Del Mar said.