Senate-House word war: Ceasefire to be observed

MANILA, Philippines — It’s time for a ceasefire between the Senate and the House of Representatives after weeks of verbal clashes over the latest push for Charter change.

Senators Sonny Angara and Ronald dela Rosa revealed the development yesterday in an interview over radio dwIZ.

“The Senate President said there must be a ceasefire because the verbal exchange between the House and the Senate has become too hot,” Angara said, referring to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“If it helps improve the relationship between the House and the Senate, it will be good for the country,” he said.

“He (Zubiri) told me, things are getting hot, maybe Congress will be too distracted if the exchange of words continues. As long as we are on the issue and we’re not being personal, I think there is no problem,” he added.

Angara heads the Senate sub-committee on constitutional amendments tasked to tackle the Resolution of Both Houses 6, which calls for amendment of certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Zubiri earlier said the creation of the Senate sub-committee has the approval of committee chairman Sen. Robinhood Padilla.

Dela Rosa, for his part, said Zubiri and other senators agreed to shift their focus to pressing problems in the country, including the devastation in many parts of Mindanao due to flooding caused by heavy rains.

Dela Rosa said he felt ashamed trading barbs with other lawmakers over some political issues while Davaoeños were being battered by landslides and massive flooding.

“So it’s ceasefire now, I have to focus on helping my provincemates,” Dela Rosa said.

“They agree, they said Sen. Imee is right, SP (Senate President) agrees too and he is right, (that’s) a good decision,” he said referring to Zubiri and Sen. Imee Marcos, who presided over the two public hearings in Manila and in Davao City of the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation.

“Maybe they (senators) are tired too. They are cooperating and helping in Davao. Although there is no flooding in Ilocos and Bukidnon, they are also with us. I hope it will keep quiet for the good of the country,” Dela Rosa added.

He said even former president Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to calm down, provided he is not provoked.

At the height of the word war between the Senate and the House, Duterte publicly maligned President Marcos, calling him a drug addict, whose name is on the drug list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

In his tirade during a “prayer rally” in Davao City, the former president also called for Mindanao secession.

Sens. Marcos, Dela Rosa, and Bong Go stayed in Davao to help residents affected by the massive flooding. The three senators were present during the second Senate public hearing in Davao on Friday on the signature campaign for people’s initiative (PI).

Marcos’ committee is investigating reports of bribery and misuse of government funds in the ongoing signature drive for PI.

At the hearing in Davao City on Friday, several residents testified that they were made to sign PI signature sheets with the promise of ayuda or cash assistance, food packages and other benefits.

Angara, meanwhile, said the sub-committee hearing on Monday would cover the general provisions first. “The well-known personalities in law and economics are the ones we have invited. In other hearings, sectors will be included,” he said.

“This is a public hearing that will determine if it is the time to amend the Constitution. Is the timing right? We have invited people, we are open-minded here, we want to get all opinions,” the senator said, adding that the discussion would not be rushed.

“We really won’t rush it because this is a change in the Constitution. That’s a broad study, it’s even higher than the law,” he maintained.

“If there is timing, it is at the very least before the 2025 election so that it can be done at the same time,” he said.

For Sen. Francis Escudero, it’s now too late for some congressmen to call for a stop to the Senate investigation on alleged irregularities in the signature drive for PI.

Earlier, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe appealed to the Senate to stop the hearings on the PI, as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already stopped signature verification.

The House leader also urged the upper chamber to focus on the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 instead.

“The last statement (from some House members) is that we stop it (Senate probe on PI) as long as Resolution of Both Houses 6 is passed. Any work related to PI must be transparent and accountable,” Escudero stressed.

Escudero said the Senate hearings were meant to establish the participation of members of the Lower House in the PI meant to amend the Constitution and not just the allegations of bribery.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), meanwhile, has urged lawmakers to avoid being reckless in proposing amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

In an online press conference, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David pointed out the present Constitution had a “dark past,” being created after the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

“Because of the dark background of the 1987 Constitution, the priorities of the constitutionalists, the drafters (of the Constitution) became clear that moves to amend it won’t be easy,” he said.

The CBCP said the signature drive “involves deception and disregard for our true and free participation in the democratic process of our country.” — Ghio Ong