By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, May 7 (PNA) — Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III have jointly filed resolution seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution through a Constitutional Convention (Con-con).
The two lawmakers, however, emphasized that the Charter change (Cha-cha) through Con-con should be left to the decision of the electorate.
In their Senate Resolution No. 1308, the senators proposed that that the election of delegates to the Con-con should be done simultaneously with the May 2016 national elections.
”To dispel any doubt that the constitutional reforms are being sought to advance political and economic interests of a chosen few, it would be more prudent to submit to the electorate the questions of calling such as constitutional convention,” they stated in a resolution.
“That depends, of course, if the electorate will clearly express a clamor and preference for the calling of a Constitutional Convention,” Guingona added.
Guingona and Pimentel noted various business organizations and research groups have identified economic provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution that need to be revised to boost the economic activities in the country.
They said the constitutional convention is “least divisive and most transparent” way of amending the Constitution. (PNA)