Noy to do right thing on Cha-cha – Palace

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will do the right thing when it comes to Charter change (Cha-cha) and term extension after consultations with the people, a Malacañang official said yesterday.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said constitutional expert Fr. Joaquin Bernas was getting ahead of himself in telling the President that six years is long enough and that he must give way to other good people.

“The President has, again, not made any moves. He’s just in the consultation stage so let’s just wait for the decision of the President. And if there’s one thing that I’d like to impart to the Filipino people, you know, the President has kept faith with the Filipino people for the past four years. We ask you to trust that the President will do the right thing,” Lacierda said.

He said they could also understand the concerns of groups like the Makati Business Club, which expressed opposition to Aquino’s term extension. The MBC said 71 percent of its members opposed a second term for the President. They also warned Aquino against undermining the gains of his administration by seeking a second term.

“They are primarily concerned with amending the economic provisions and they felt that this statement, this idea of term extension, would somehow hamper their push for the amendments on the economic provisions. But again, like the previous concern, we’d just like to tell the Makati Business Club that the President has not made any action yet with respect to Charter change. He is still consulting and is in the process of consultation,” Lacierda said.

He said they were not doing anything to push for Cha-cha at this time and pointed at United Nationalist Alliance secretary-general and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco as the one who kept talking about constitutional amendments.

“I mean, who likes talking about Cha-cha? It’s Toby. He’s been talking about all possible scenarios when we’re not doing anything, isn’t it? We’ve been focused on the problems of the here and now. We’re trying to find solutions for real people for their problems. So this government is focused on that. And the President was just being honest about his views on the Constitution but he has not gone beyond that,” Lacierda said.

He said whoever was fanning the issue was only blowing it out of proportion.

“There’s a bad Filipino word for what people do to keep this issue alive. It’s not us who’s doing that. We’re focused on the problems of the country. And so, those people who are doing that thing, you’re just so caught up with 2016. I mean, come on, give it a rest. We’re still two years (away),” Lacierda said.

Still, he reiterated that consultations were going on.

“That’s still in the process and that’s where we are. The President is, as he said, the President is listening to the voice of his ‘bosses.’ So that’s the process and, you know – I know that you’ve heard this time and again – but we’re still there. We have not moved an inch away from or further than consultation. So don’t worry about all these people saying that the sky is falling. It’s not,” he stressed.

Lacierda said the public would just have to wait for what the President would say on the issue.

“There are two matters that the President is primarily focused on. It’s really on the concern on the role of – or, rather, the issue on judicial overreach or judicial restraint (when it comes to Cha-cha). There’s only one question of term extension and the President said, ‘Well, I will listen to my bosses’ and that’s it,” he said.

“I suppose at some point in time – I know that sometimes we’re befuddled by it – but, at some point there will be a decision to be taken and can we just wait for that?” Lacierda said.

Social media forum

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said there’s social media to look at, there are people that you talk to and there are a number of things that are happening.

He repeated that the openness on term extension did not come from them but the topic came up during the recent interview with the President.

The idea was actually first broached by Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

“We’re just looking and the President is very forthright about his views on judicial restraint. So, I am limited to what I have been informed by the President,” Lacierda said.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, a Liberal Party stalwart, said the party should hold a caucus on calls to lift term limits of elected officials since the LP as well other members of the majority coalition have yet to come up with an official stand on the issue.

He cited efforts of Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice to push for amendments to the political provisions of the Constitution, where the current six-year term of the president and vice president with no reelection be changed to a four-year term with one opportunity for reelection.

Castelo warned his LP colleagues that any attempt to railroad Erice’s resolution would have serious repercussions on the coalition.

He said instead of immediately adopting Erice’s resolution, it would be appropriate for the members of the ruling coalition to subject his proposal to consultations and caucuses.

Leaders of other pro-administration parties in the House, including the Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, and the Centrist Democratic Party, have not yet taken a position on the lifting of term limits.

Meanwhile, Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza lauded Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who has reiterated his promise that the House leadership will not touch the political provisions of the Constitution.

Atienza said he and Belmonte had a brief meeting on Tuesday where they had a chance to talk about the issue.

The lawmaker said he firmly believes that Belmonte will be true to his word.

The House on Tuesday started plenary debates on Resolution of Both Houses No. 1, which seeks to relax the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution. – With Paolo Romero