No quorum for House Charter change debates

MANILA, Philippines – The expected floor debates on Speaker Prospero Nograles’ Resolution 737 on proposed economic amendments to the Constitution were delayed again last night.

At 7 p.m., Majority Leader Arthur Defensor told The STAR he would no longer call the resolution for debate as many House members had already left the session hall.

He said those opposed to Charter change (Cha-cha) might question the quorum.

“To be sure, we will just postpone the debates for tomorrow,” he said.

Congressmen spent their session last night hearing privilege speeches from several members.

In Resolution 737, Nograles proposes to amend Sections 2 and 3 of Article 12 of the Constitution to allow 100-percent foreign participation in the exploitation of natural resources and foreign ownership of land.

At present, foreigners are limited to 40-percent participation and land ownership.

Actually, the House started plenary consideration of the Nograles-proposed amendments Monday last week.

But the debates centered on whether the chamber can tackle specific Cha-cha proposals without convening itself and the Senate into a constituent assembly (con-ass).

Militant representatives, including Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel of Akbayan and Liza Maza of Gabriela, questioned the legislative process route that Nograles prefers for his resolution.

There is no such mode for Cha-cha under the Constitution, they said, making it appear that they favor con-ass.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, principal proponent of Cha-cha via con-ass even without the Senate participating, was elated by Baraquel’s and Maza’s arguments.

Last Wednesdaynight, House leaders tried to start the debates not on the Cha-cha mode but on the Nograles-recommended amendments, but lack of quorum prevented them from doing so.

When a second roll call was made, only 94 members responded, 26 short of the needed quorum.

While congressmen are exploring the legislative process route for Cha-cha, Villafuerte’s House-only con-ass, proposed in Resolution 1109, remains an option.

The resolution was filed last week. Aside from Villafuerte, who heads President Arroyo’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party, 174 other House members led by Speaker Prospero Nograles signed the resolution.

It was sent to the rules committee chaired by Majority Leader Defensor for further study.