Charter change is not dead in the House
By Carmela Fonbuena, Newsbreak, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/09/2008 6:54 PM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
The presence of two high officials of the House majority in today’s hearing of the House committee on constitutional amendments sent opposition congressmen in a fighting mode, but they were outnumbered. They failed to stop the majority from revising an earlier agreement that effectively delayed until December charter change initiatives in the House.
Deputy majority leader Neptali Gonzalez II and deputy speaker Amelita Villarosa surprisingly joined the hearing, which voted 12-4 in favor of junking an earlier agreement to conduct four public hearings to consult the public pulse on charter change until November 30.
Instead, the committee decided to instead instruct congressmen to conduct public consultations in their districts.
It is not clear if that will speed up the consultations. “We will decide on the timeline in the next hearing,” said committee chair La Union Rep. Victor Ortega.
“What is the motive of House leadership? You would like to rush the process because you want Charter change soon?” Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino questioned.
Although outnumbered, Casino, Cagayan De Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza aggressively opposed the revision. They were joined by Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III in voting against the revision.
“We have changed already what we’ve agreed upon. I am really aggrieved because my motion was approved last time,” Rodriguez said.
“We are not against public consultations per district. It’s important that the committee hold formal public hearings. The process is clear and everything will be on the record,” Casino added.
No budget?
Two reasons were presented why the House can’t hold public consultations. First, Speaker Prospero Nograles told them on Monday’s executive session that there’s no budget for the public consultations.
The opposition did not accept this reason. “We spent P200 million for a facelift. I don’t’ see why congress can’t spend a small fraction of that in holding public hearings on an important democratic issue,” argued Casino.
Two, consultations will be wider if they are held in every congressional district. “The consultations will be more meaningful because it will be townhall consultations by each member of the House,” Nograles told reporters today.
Nograles said he wanted that the public consultations will also include other controversial issues like reproductive health and the extension of CARP.
‘Stooges of Malacanang’
The opposition’s accusation that the revision was an initiative of Malacanang didn’t sit well with congressman Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla. The two exchanged heated arguments to a point that the first began banging and table and the latter began pointed his fingers.
Remulla even stood from his seat to challenge Rodriguez. But he was stopped by Villarosa.
“It’s ungentlemanly to say that it’s Malacanang initiave…. He is accusing us of being stooges of Malacang,” Remulla complained.
“That’s true,” Casino even interjected, supporting Rodriguez.
Remulla asked the committee to strike Rodriguez’s statement off the record. It was granted.
Ortega dismissed the accusations of the opposition congressmen. “We are not doing away with public hearings…. There’s no rushing or railroading it,” he said.
