Nograles’ Cha-cha hopeless in the Senate – Enrile
04/21/2009 | 08:54 PM
MANILA, Philippines — As far as Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile is concerned, House Speaker Prospero Nograles' proposed "fourth mode" of rewriting the Constitution will not prosper in the upper chamber.
Enrile doubted if Nograles' Resolution 737 could muster three-fourths vote in the Senate, adding that there was not sufficient time to push for Charter change.
“Mahirap ma-achieve ang three fourths dito. Ilan kami sa majority [It's hard to gather a three-fourths vote here. How many are we in the majority bloc] and even the majority we cannot, there is no unanimity, the minority will, I’m sure, will not vote in favor," Enrile said adding the he was personally not in favor of the Speaker's resolution.
On Monday, Nograles proposed that his resolution seeking to amend the Constitution be treated as an ordinary bill, with three fourths of both houses voting separately on its merits.
Nograles said he made this proposal to “safeguard" his resolution from other goals such as prolonging the term of incumbent government officials including that of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Nevertheless, Enrile said the Senate would still take up the resolution if it would be forwarded to them because it is their duty to tackle measures submitted to them by the lower chamber.
“If they will bring it here, we will take it up here and look at it. If it is a legislation, we are bound to consider it in the Senate… institutionally we are bound to consider measures that are sent to us here by the House," Enrile said adding he is not in favor of Nograles’ resolution.
Should the resolution be transmitted to the upper chamber, the Senate would only tackle the measure’s economic provisions, according to Enrile.
Enrile downplayed talks about proposals to lift term limits of incumbent government officials saying, “wala ‘yun, hindi papasa ‘yun dito (it’s nothing. It will not be approved in the Senate). You cannot get the votes." - Amita Legaspi, Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV
Enrile doubted if Nograles' Resolution 737 could muster three-fourths vote in the Senate, adding that there was not sufficient time to push for Charter change.
“Mahirap ma-achieve ang three fourths dito. Ilan kami sa majority [It's hard to gather a three-fourths vote here. How many are we in the majority bloc] and even the majority we cannot, there is no unanimity, the minority will, I’m sure, will not vote in favor," Enrile said adding the he was personally not in favor of the Speaker's resolution.
On Monday, Nograles proposed that his resolution seeking to amend the Constitution be treated as an ordinary bill, with three fourths of both houses voting separately on its merits.
Nograles said he made this proposal to “safeguard" his resolution from other goals such as prolonging the term of incumbent government officials including that of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Nevertheless, Enrile said the Senate would still take up the resolution if it would be forwarded to them because it is their duty to tackle measures submitted to them by the lower chamber.
“If they will bring it here, we will take it up here and look at it. If it is a legislation, we are bound to consider it in the Senate… institutionally we are bound to consider measures that are sent to us here by the House," Enrile said adding he is not in favor of Nograles’ resolution.
Should the resolution be transmitted to the upper chamber, the Senate would only tackle the measure’s economic provisions, according to Enrile.
Enrile downplayed talks about proposals to lift term limits of incumbent government officials saying, “wala ‘yun, hindi papasa ‘yun dito (it’s nothing. It will not be approved in the Senate). You cannot get the votes." - Amita Legaspi, Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV
