Noy urged to mention 'Cha-cha' in 3rd SONA

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III should cite in his stand on proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

This as Senator Gringo Honasan on Wednesday joined calls for Congress to start the discussions on the Charter change (Cha-cha) proposals.

"I believe that the Senate President is correct that we should start now the talks about the amending the Constitution particularly the economic provisions," Honasan said.

He added: "I hope this (Cha-cha) will be mentioned in the SONA of the President."

The senator said that he supports the proposals of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to start discussion on Cha-cha at the resumption of the 15th Congress.

Several lawmakers have said that economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution should already be amended.

Honasan said that the security provisions of the Constitution should also be discussed amid tensions between the Philippines and China over the disputed Panatag Shoal at the West Philippine Sea.

Honasan expressed optimism that the Aquino administration will hurdle the tension at the Panatag Shoal by bringing the case at the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other international courts.

"That's one of the three options. The others are convening the ASEAN Plus and pursuing a joint exploration within the disputed territories only," Honasan, a former military colonel, said.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is also in favor of amending the Constitution but suggested it should be done in the 16th Congress or after the 2013 midterm elections. She also mentioned that Congress will also be busy with the budget deliberations beginning next month.

Senator Joker Arroyo, who previously opposed the Charter change, said that time has come to amend the 25-year-old Constitution "because there are provisions that are already outmoded."

Arroyo, who served as executive secretary to President Aquino's mother, then President Corazon 'Cory' Aquino, warned though that amending the constitution should be done in a careful manner.

He believes that any effort to amend the Constitution would push through only if it has blessings of the Malacañang.

Honasan, meanwhile, urged President Aquino to convene Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELACC) to promote more harmonious coordination among the three branches of government in achieving economic development.

"We have to determine what are the national order of priorities. We should know what are our priorities not only in the executive branch but also in the legislative as well as in the judiciary specially now that we have impeached a chief justice," Honasan said.

Honasan was referring to former Chief Justice Renato Corona, the first chief magistrate to be convicted through impeachment process in the country last May due to failure to declare all his assets in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).