Chiz: No Cha-cha in Senate’s third regular session

MANILA, Philippines — Charter change would not be a priority of the Senate in its third regular session because it is a “divisive” issue, according to Senate President Francis Escudero.

“In this final regular session of the 19th Congress, we will set aside items which merely dissipate our energy and divide the public,” Escudero said during his speech in opening yesterday’s session, his first as Senate President.

“For this same reason, pending bills on Charter change will be placed on the backburner and will follow the ordinary and regular process of legislation, if at all,” he added.

Escudero said the Senate should focus instead on bills that are part of the common executive and legislative agenda.

“In its stead, bills which can effect the same result – but without the needless political noise and bickering – will be prioritized. This will allow us to focus our energy on measures which the people truly need,” Escudero said.

“We will tackle items in the common legislative agenda forged with the Executive, and those nurtured by either the House or the Senate. For legislation is not a one-way process,” he added.

At a press briefing after the session, Escudero said he considered Charter change a “divisive” bill that should go through the regular legislative mill instead of being a pet measure.

“It’s not a priority for me. Since it was not mentioned in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, I don’t think it’s a priority of the LEDAC or the executive either,” Escudero said.

Escudero said it is a time-honored tradition in the Senate to scrutinize laws instead of serving as the administration’s rubber stamp.

“We are not just here to stamp our approval on bills. We also propose legislation which need not come from the executive,” Escudero said.

The Senate President also promised that it would be a productive third regular session in the Senate by focusing on the “quality, not quantity” of bills, even though there are only 70 session days left.

“Quality over quantity has always been the tradition in the Senate. The House has always churned out the most number of bills. But often, it is the Senate that allocates more time in fine-tuning bills that eventually become the version of the law,” Escudero said.

Solid 6 not joining minority

The bloc of former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri bloc will not join the minority and will remain in the majority but will demand one-fourth of the membership of each committee in the Senate.

Zubiri said his bloc – composed of former Senate president pro tempore Loren Legarda, former majority leader Joel Villanueva, former deputy majority leader JV Ejercito, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and Sen. Nancy Binay or the so-called Solid 6 – would remain independent and will not join the minority composed of Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros.

The seventh member of the Zubiri bloc – Sen. Sonny Angara – has been appointed as secretary of the Department of Education. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Bella Cariaso