Senate debates Cha-cha move today

The Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes and laws will begin hearing today the concurrent resolution approved by the House of Representatives that seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Committee chairman Sen. Edgardo Angara has invited Western Samar Rep. Antonio Nachura to attend today’s hearing. Nachura chairs the House committee on constitutional amendments.

Angara and Sen. Robert Barbers jointly authored Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13 supporting a constituent assembly as the mode by which to amend the Charter — a matter that will be discussed in today’s Senate hearing.

The Senate is also set to tackle Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 11, filed by Senate President Franklin Drilon and signed by 14 senators, that seeks to effect Charter change through the election of a constitutional convention.

Angara’s committee has 14 members, including Drilon, Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda and Senate Pro Tempore Juan Flavier.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 16 needs the support of eight members of Angara’s committee with which to constitute the required majority vote so the resolution can be tackled at the plenary level.

Drilon earlier said the Senate will stick to its position favoring the election of a constitutional convention to amend the Charter.

Sen. Joker Arroyo earlier accused Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. of allegedly "fast-tracking" the approval of House Concurrent Resolution 16, which he said may pave the way for the extension of the terms of incumbent senators and congressmen as well as the president and vice president, and the postponement of the national elections next year.

Arroyo accused De Venecia of pushing for the speedy approval of the House resolution "because of his relentless quest to be prime minister under a new constitution that has trivialized the stringent requirements of amending the Constitution."