Senate to resume Cha-Cha

hearing in January
Minority senator Francis Pangilinan, who earlier raised doubts over Congress proposing
changes to the 1987 Constitution, will lead the hearing

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate is set to resume its discussions on the controversial
Charter Change next Wednesday, January 17.

Minority senator Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional

amendments and revision of codes, said 3 pending bills will be tackled in the hearing.

These include Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin
Drilon, Joint Resolution No. 1 by Senator Richard Gordon, and Senate Bill No. 128 by
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Constitution experts as well as members of the academe, business sector, labor sector,
and civil society would be invited.

"The way to initiate changes or reforms in the Constitution is through a deliberative,

thorough, and transparent process. Everyone will have a say here and no one will be
left in the dark," Pangilinan said in a statement on Wednesday, January 10.

The committee has so far conducted one hearing led by Drilon, who was then the
Senate president pro-tempore.

'Will you trust Congress?'

Pangilinan said next week's hearing would seek to determine whether there is a need to
amend the 1987 Constitution, which provisions or parts to revise, whether through
Constituent Assembly or Constitutional Convention, and whether Congress should vote
jointly or separately if via Con-Ass. (READ: The problem with Con-Ass? Distrust of
Congress)

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III is set to submit a resolution this week calling for
Con-Ass to revise the Constitution and, specifically, to study the shift to a federal form of
government. Under Con-Ass, sitting members of Congress would have the power to
propose amendments, which would then be approved by the public through a plebiscite.
Pangilinan earlier raised doubts over Congress proposing amendments, after House
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez floated the idea of a "no-elections" (no-el) scenario in 2019
during the transition to federalism.

"After witnessing the congressional hearings on extrajudicial killings, on Senator [Leila]

de Lima's alleged connection with drug syndicates, on the P6.4-billion BOC (Bureau of
Customs) shabu smuggling scandal allegedly involving the Davao Group, the
impeachment of Chief Justice [Maria Lourdes] Sereno, the approval of the one-year
extension of martial law in Mindanao, the slashing of the CHR (Commission on Human
Rights) budget to P1,000, will you trust Congress with charter change?" Pangilinan said.

Drilon has said opposition senators are "open" to questioning the manner of voting
before the Supreme Court, as he insisted the two chambers of Congress should vote
separately. – Rappler.com