5 religious leaders support Cha-cha

Five Christian bishops asked Congress yesterday to convene into an constituent assembly and amend the constitution to shift from a presidential to a federal and parliamentary form of government.

"We respectfully urge the Senate of the Philippines to act urgently–and positively–on the joint resolution transforming the House and the Senate into a constituent assembly, now in the last stages of its passage through the House of Representatives," read a joint manifesto of the Council of Christian Bishops of the Philippines and the Jesus is Lord Movement.

The manifesto was signed by Bishops Fred Magbanua, CCBP chairman; Eddie Villanueva, president and spokesman; Efraim Tendero, executive director; and Leo Alconga, vice president for Visayas; and Dan Balais.

Other signatories are: Bert Lotilla, president of the Full Gospel for Businessmen for Asia, and Rev. Al Gorospe, board member of the Rizal Evangelical Ministerial Association.

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said the House of Representatives is set to adopt Joint Resolution 16 calling on Congress to convene into a constituent assembly for transmittal to the Senate which is against the move.

The Philippines for Jesus Movement and the Board of Trustees under the aegis of JIL have seven million members nationwide and 84 chapters in Asia, Europe and North America.–Paolo Romero