Cha-cha not intended to extend Arroyo term, Nograles insists

MANILA, Philippines - Amid mounting criticisms on the latest moves to push Charter change, House Speaker Prospero Nograles on Friday maintained that efforts to amend the Constitution is not intended to extend the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In an interview over radio dzBB, Nograles said there is no resolution pending in both Houses of Congress that seeks to extend the term of the President or any other public official. "I would like to say that for the record there is no proposal in the House and in the Senate that seeks to extend the term of the President or any other public official's term. Yun ang very clear," said Nograles. A resolution filed by Kampi President and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, which seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly without proposing specific amendments, has been signed by around 150 lawmakers, including presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo. Nograles's own House Resolution No 737, which seeks to amend provisions on foreign investments, has been backed by at least 163 supporters in the House. "I am asking for an economic provision na 60-40 tatanggalin natin dahil ito palagay ko naiiwan tayo ng ibang Asian countries dahil sila open for foreign investment samantalang tayo limited ang foreign investments natin (I am asking that we do away with the 60-40 provision on foreign investments because we're lagging behind other Asian countries due to our limited foreign investments)," said Nograles. He also said there should be "public, open, and transparent" deliberations on issues regarding Constitutional Change to enlighten the public. Earlier during the day, Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo admitted that he signed Villafuerte's resolution, bolstering fears that Malacañang is railroading efforts to amend the Constitution. "(I was) one of the signatories. I also asked some of my friends, like Congressman Raul Gonzales Jr, to look into the matter. That is how we are in Congress. We are a collegial body. We try to ask our colleagues who are close to us to look at the issues. There is nothing wrong with that, we are a democracy," said Arroyo in a telephone interview with GMANews.TV. Arroyo, however, denied leading the signature drive, saying he is not among the main proponents of the resolutions. "Hindi ako nagpapaikot niyan. If you look at the paper the main proponents here are Congressman Villafuerte and Speaker Nograles, and this is exactly the same piece of paper that circulated during the time of Speaker (Jose) De Venecia (Jr)... I'm not the one leading it. I don't even know what level the signatures are already," Arroyo added. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV