Senators say no to Charter change
08/11/2008 | 09:30 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Senators on Monday shot down the claim of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon that moves to amend the Constitution would soon be initiated even as they reiterated the warning that a Charter change would mean extending the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Esperon, who packaged the controversial memorandum of agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front regarding their claim for ancestral domain, was also told to refrain from joining talks on political structures.
“Si Esperon hindi na dapat sumali sa mga usaping tungkol sa political structures. Palagay ko, number one, hindi naman siya qualified dun," Sen. Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel said.
He said Esperon should instead focus on other issues like talking to the relatives of extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances.
“Maaari siyang tumulong roon pero dito sa usaping negosasyon para sa kapayapaan, I’m very sorry to say na mukhang di siya karapat-dapat doon," he said.
For his part, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said both Houses of Congress and the people would not allow Charter change to happen.
He said that many past attempts by proponents of Charter change have been blocked by the strong opposition from the public.
“It's just Sec. Esperon speaking, I don't think that should be taken seriously." Lacson said.
Lacson also said that the Arroyo administration had long planned amending the Constitution since it continues to be hounded by controversies, especially the 2004 “Hello Garci" poll cheating scandal.
“Pinlano na nila talaga parati noon na magkaroon ng Charter change, di para ma-improve ang economic provisions, kundi (para sa) mga political considerations, mga expediencies na kailangang i-address nila," Lacson said.
He was apparently referring to the numerous scams said to have been initiated by officials of the present administration.
Among these are poll cheating, fund diversion, extrajudicial killings and other issues.
Senators, Lacson warned, would remain united against Cha-cha.
If senators change their minds and consider tinkering with the Constitution, he said that most of them would do it after the Arroyo administration.
“Di dapat mag-benefit ang sitting president sa anuman ang ipapalit sa Cha-cha. Kita natin di naman economic provisions ang i-a-address nito. Ang tinitingnan parati rito is extension ng term ng pangulo. Maliwanag sa atin mula't sapul ‘yan," he said.
Sen. Loren Legarda, for her part, said Esperon should not push for Cha-cha after the failed MOA with the MILF.
“Dahil pag binabanggit ang Cha-cha ay talagang ang taongbayan ay hindi na kumpiyansya at malaki ang suspetsa nila sa mga motibo ng mga pulitiko at ng gobyerno, kaya wag nating gagamitin ang mga ganyang mga hamon para itulak ang sariling agenda," she said.
She also said Esperon cannot compel Congress to prioritize Cha-cha in its legislative agenda in exchange for peace in Mindanao.
“Tapos pagkatapos ng hamon na yan, sasabihin, hindi kasi nag cha-cha kaya nagkaroon ng giyera. It doesn’t follow. Kaya hindi karapat dapat yan," she said.
Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said Esperon's claim shows that government is out of touch with reality.
"Esperon's statement on Cha-cha and the highly suspect moves of government negotiators only expose how out of touch with reality our government is when it comes to the fate of this controversial peace pact," Pangilinan said.
"If they think that the people will readily swallow the garbage they will serve then they are wrong. Ignoring the sentiments of our citizens in the said peace pact will be the very reason this endeavor will not prosper," he said.
The issue of extending the term of Mrs Arroyo was also touched by Sen. Mar Roxas who had earlier filed a case asking the Supreme Court to junk the GRP-MILF pact.
“Nagpapatunay lamang ito na yung mga haka-haka ay totoo talaga. Maraming mga speculation kung bakit talagang itinutulak ito ng pamahalaan, hindi ko naman maunawaan kung ano talaga ang mga dahilan na itong anomalous MOA na ito na nabuo sa pagtatakip, sa pagtatago ay itinutulak pa rin ng mga negosyador,"Roxas said.
He said several provisions in the botched agreement with the MILF needs revisiting of the Constitution, warning that “pag nabuksan na yung Cha-cha hindi na natin alam kung saan na ito hahantong." - GMANews.TV
Esperon, who packaged the controversial memorandum of agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front regarding their claim for ancestral domain, was also told to refrain from joining talks on political structures.
“Si Esperon hindi na dapat sumali sa mga usaping tungkol sa political structures. Palagay ko, number one, hindi naman siya qualified dun," Sen. Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel said.
He said Esperon should instead focus on other issues like talking to the relatives of extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances.
“Maaari siyang tumulong roon pero dito sa usaping negosasyon para sa kapayapaan, I’m very sorry to say na mukhang di siya karapat-dapat doon," he said.
For his part, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said both Houses of Congress and the people would not allow Charter change to happen.
He said that many past attempts by proponents of Charter change have been blocked by the strong opposition from the public.
“It's just Sec. Esperon speaking, I don't think that should be taken seriously." Lacson said.
Lacson also said that the Arroyo administration had long planned amending the Constitution since it continues to be hounded by controversies, especially the 2004 “Hello Garci" poll cheating scandal.
“Pinlano na nila talaga parati noon na magkaroon ng Charter change, di para ma-improve ang economic provisions, kundi (para sa) mga political considerations, mga expediencies na kailangang i-address nila," Lacson said.
He was apparently referring to the numerous scams said to have been initiated by officials of the present administration.
Among these are poll cheating, fund diversion, extrajudicial killings and other issues.
Senators, Lacson warned, would remain united against Cha-cha.
If senators change their minds and consider tinkering with the Constitution, he said that most of them would do it after the Arroyo administration.
“Di dapat mag-benefit ang sitting president sa anuman ang ipapalit sa Cha-cha. Kita natin di naman economic provisions ang i-a-address nito. Ang tinitingnan parati rito is extension ng term ng pangulo. Maliwanag sa atin mula't sapul ‘yan," he said.
Sen. Loren Legarda, for her part, said Esperon should not push for Cha-cha after the failed MOA with the MILF.
“Dahil pag binabanggit ang Cha-cha ay talagang ang taongbayan ay hindi na kumpiyansya at malaki ang suspetsa nila sa mga motibo ng mga pulitiko at ng gobyerno, kaya wag nating gagamitin ang mga ganyang mga hamon para itulak ang sariling agenda," she said.
She also said Esperon cannot compel Congress to prioritize Cha-cha in its legislative agenda in exchange for peace in Mindanao.
“Tapos pagkatapos ng hamon na yan, sasabihin, hindi kasi nag cha-cha kaya nagkaroon ng giyera. It doesn’t follow. Kaya hindi karapat dapat yan," she said.
Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said Esperon's claim shows that government is out of touch with reality.
"Esperon's statement on Cha-cha and the highly suspect moves of government negotiators only expose how out of touch with reality our government is when it comes to the fate of this controversial peace pact," Pangilinan said.
"If they think that the people will readily swallow the garbage they will serve then they are wrong. Ignoring the sentiments of our citizens in the said peace pact will be the very reason this endeavor will not prosper," he said.
The issue of extending the term of Mrs Arroyo was also touched by Sen. Mar Roxas who had earlier filed a case asking the Supreme Court to junk the GRP-MILF pact.
“Nagpapatunay lamang ito na yung mga haka-haka ay totoo talaga. Maraming mga speculation kung bakit talagang itinutulak ito ng pamahalaan, hindi ko naman maunawaan kung ano talaga ang mga dahilan na itong anomalous MOA na ito na nabuo sa pagtatakip, sa pagtatago ay itinutulak pa rin ng mga negosyador,"Roxas said.
He said several provisions in the botched agreement with the MILF needs revisiting of the Constitution, warning that “pag nabuksan na yung Cha-cha hindi na natin alam kung saan na ito hahantong." - GMANews.TV
