Senate urged to tackle House ‘Cha-cha’ measure

The manner of amending the 1987 Constitution could be immediately known if only the Senate takes up the House resolution calling for a constituent assembly, a ranking administration legislator said yesterday.

Western Samar Rep. Antonio Nachura, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments, said the counterpart Senate committee could immediately tackle House Resolution No. 16, ahead of the proposal calling for a constitutional convention.

Nachura noted that Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, filed a similar resolution jointly with Sen. Robert Barbers calling for a constituent assembly.

He said Angara’s committee was tasked to conduct hearings on the resolutions and will submit its report for plenary consideration.

Nachura suggested House Concurrent Resolution 16 could be incorporated in the Senate committee report.

The Visayas lawmaker expressed hopes that the Senate would schedule the House resolution on first reading once Congress resumes session next month. The resolution was transmitted to the Senate immediately after it was approved last week. – Paolo Romero