Unity bets Pushing Cha-cha initiatives

Senatorial candidates of President Arroyo’s Team Unity have vowed to pursue her Charter change (Cha-cha) initiative if they win in the May 14 elections.

They told ABS-CBN News Channel’s Pia Hontiveros on Monday night that they would resurrect Cha-cha and work on constitutional amendments, including one that would effectively abolish the Senate.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. said he would pursue the proposal to shift the system of government to a unicameral parliament.

"But that would mean shutting down the Senate, to which you are seeking election," Hontiveros told him.

"No, it will abolish Congress and replace it with a parliament," Pichay answered.

He was one of Mrs. Arroyo’s allies who pushed hard for Cha-cha last year. In the wake of the senators’ refusal to cooperate with the House on Cha-cha, he and members of the majority bloc moved to convene a constituent assembly (con-ass) without the Senate to tackle amendments.

Just two days after deciding to convene con-ass, congressmen retreated in the face of mounting protests from Catholic bishops, the Iglesia ni Cristo, business groups, and the general public.

Pichay was the author of the controversial proposal to postpone this year’s elections by six months, from May to November.

In the same television show, another Team Unity candidate and supporter of the failed Cha-cha initiative, Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, said he wants the presidential system retained but with an expanded Senate whose members should be elected by region.

"We have good leaders in the regions who cannot make it to the Senate in a national election. We have to make the election by region so that we can send these good leaders to the Senate," he said.

He said he also wants a federal setup under which regions would be given more autonomy.

For his part, Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson of Ilocos Sur said he would support the proposal to give regions and local government units more autonomy.

He said he is against shifting the nation to the parliamentary system.

The three pro-Charter change candidates are running with incumbent Senators Joker Arroyo and Ralph Recto who, along with other Senate colleagues, had strongly opposed the proposed abolition of their chamber and the congressmen’s aborted Senate-less con-ass plan three months ago.

It was not known how Arroyo and Recto reacted to the statements of Pichay, Zubiri and Singson since Hontiveros interviewed Team Unity members individually.

Of all senators, only Edgardo Angara, who is also running with the administration ticket, was for Cha-cha.