Senate body may tackle Cha-cha if...

Manila, Philippines -  The Senate may tackle proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution if the people would have a “change of heart” about the issue of Charter change.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who chairs the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws, said she would remain open to conducting further hearings on proposed amendments to the Constitution.

“So it will depend on the mood of the public. If our people show that they think the status of our country can be vastly improved through a constitutional amendment, then it will become my duty to conduct a hearing in the committee,” Santiago said.

“Maybe that’s the reason why I am not destined or fated to go yet to the ICC (International Criminal Court). Maybe my destiny is to guide our country to the next Constitution,” she added.

Santiago has been elected as a judge to the ICC, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands.

While waiting for instructions from the ICC for her to report to The Hague, Santiago would continue serving her term as senator.

Santiago said that it would be a good idea for those running for Congress in the 2013 mid-term elections to include Charter change as a campaign issue.

“If the people wish, we should make that a campaign issue,” she said.

While the leaders of Congress are set to meet over proposals to rewrite the Constitution, Santiago clarified that she is still not convinced that amending the Charter is the right thing to do at this time.

“I’ve always maintained that the Constitution should remain as it is. Otherwise if you keep amending it, occasionally, it will turn into an ordinary law,” said Santiago.

The Senate body conducted an initial hearing on the necessity of Charter change in February last year, wherein constitutional experts gave their positions regarding the matter.

Santiago recalled that most of the experts were in favor of amending the Constitution, specifically to change the form of government from presidential to parliamentary.

According to Santiago, she also tried to gauge the public pulse regarding Charter change and came to the conclusion that they do not see this as something of utmost importance at this time.