Casiño wants Charter change issue left to GMA's successor

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo’s allies in the House of Representatives should leave the issue of amending the Constitution to her successor, according to Rep. Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna.

“This matter of Cha-cha should better be left to the president to be elected in May 2010,” Casiño yesterday told reporters at the Serye Café news forum in Quezon City.

He made the call a day after the House committee on constitutional amendments endorsed a bill proposing the election of delegates to a convention to amend the Constitution.

The committee made the decision despite objections raised by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to the recommendation to hold the election of convention delegates simultaneously with the president, vice president, senators, and other officials in May next year.

Comelec officials said there is no more time for them to make adjustments for the election of convention delegates.

The same committee chaired by La Union Rep. Victor Ortega endorsed in June a resolution urging “members of Congress” to convene as a constituent assembly (con-ass) for the same purpose – amending the Constitution.

Subsequently, the House approved the resolution but has not convened as a con-ass.

Casiño said it seems that Mrs. Arroyo’s allies could not decide what Cha-cha mode they really want – whether it is con-ass or an elected convention.

“But time has really run out on Cha-cha. The few session days left will be focused on the approval of the 2010 budget,” he said.

He said congressmen, especially those in the minority like him, have to make sure that next year’s budget is approved to prevent the reenactment of this year’s outlay.

“A reenacted budget will give the President flexibility to realign funds for election purposes,” he said.

Speaker Prospero Nograles promised on Wednesday that there would be no reenacted budget during his watch.

The House will start hearings on the 2010 outlay next week. It hopes to finish deliberations before Congress takes its first break in mid-October.

Lawmakers will resume work in November for one week and then go on vacation again on Nov. 20 to 30, the period for the filing of certificates of candidacy with the Comelec.

They will return to work in early December and then adjourn for their Christmas break. Sessions will resume in mid-January. On Feb. 7, senators and congressmen will adjourn for four months for the election campaign. They will return in June.