Survey proved no need to rush Cha-cha —Senate leaders

The top leaders of the Senate are more convinced now that there is no need to rush the passage of a measure that will amend the 1987 Constitution after the latest Pulse Asia survey showed that at least 88% of Filipinos are against Charter change (Cha-cha).

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri described the results as a "true eye-opener" and supports their position to study the proposed amendments to the Charter carefully.

"This survey is a true eye opener at kaya nga pinag[-]aaralan namin nang mabuti ito at hindi minamadali," Zubiri said in a statement.

[This survey is a true eye-opener that's why we are studying the matter carefully and not rushing things.]

He added that the Senate also intends to get the "pulse of the people" when it comes to amending the Constitution through hearings that will be conducted in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.  

"This survey shows it is an unpopular move with almost 9 out of 10 Filipinos opposed to changing the Charter. These are things to be weighed in and carefully put into consideration by the subcommittee and the Senate as a whole," added Zubiri.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva echoed the stand of Zubiri, and said that Cha-cha is not the utmost concern of the Filipino people.

"Our bosses have spoken. Klarong klaro po na peke ang isinulong nilang P.I. (People’s Initiative) at hindi po Charter change ang kailangan ngayon ng taumbayan mula sa gobyerno," Villanueva said in a separate statement.

[Our bosses have spoken. It's clear that the people's initiative being pushed is fake. PI is not what the public wants from the government.]

"With 88% of Filipinos saying that they are against Cha-cha, this is a clear indication that there is no need to fast-track the hearings of the Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, as there is no urgency in amending the Constitution," he added.

Resolution of Both Houses No. 6

With this latest survey, Villanueva also said that he is "leaning towards" voting against Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH6) like his other colleagues, namely Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, and Cynthia Villar.

While he mentioned his initial position on RBH6, Villanueva said he is "still more than willing to learn and further study this economic provisions in amending the Constitution as we continue conducting public hearings."

RBH 6, filed by Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, and Senator Sonny Angara, seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, particularly Articles XII, XIV, and XVI.

RBH 6 was filed after the Senate and the House leadership made an agreement before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. where the Upper House will lead the deliberations on the amendments to the 1987 Constitution as long as the people's initiative, which is believed to be supported by congressmen, including House Speaker Martin Romualdez, will be halted.

Efforts to amend the Constitution via people’s initiative has become controversial after several lawmakers disclosed that some of the signatories were allegedly bribed or promised with government aids.

The Senate unanimously released a manifesto against the present people’s initiative efforts, saying the House is out to abolish the Senate given that the document for signature asks voters to if they are in favor of amending the Charter to allow members of Congress to jointly vote on constitutional amendments, a setup which would consider the vote of 24 Senators and more than 300 House members.

The Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes led by Angara, has so far conducted four hearings on Senate's RBH 6, while its counterpart measure in the House of Representatives, RBH7, has already been approved on third and final reading last March or a month after it was filed in the lower chamber.

The House of Representatives has been moving to immediately amend the 1987 Constitution, citing the need to relax the so-called restrictive economic restrictions that supposedly hinder foreign investments in the country. —VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News