Escudero: 'Mend' ties with House first before Cha-cha talks

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero wants to mend the Senate's relationship with the House of Representatives first before discussing proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution.

This was the response of the newly installed Senate chief after House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed optimism that the Senate, under Escudero's leadership, would consider amending what they describe as "restrictive" economic provisions of the Charter.

"I thank Speaker Romualdez for being gentle with his words as far as respecting the Senate's prerogatives are concerned. He is my counterpart in the House," Escudero said during the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday.

"I expect to meet with him soon during the break to discuss the relationship, mending what needs to be mended and establishing rules and protocols on how to coordinate with respect to what they are pushing for and with respect to what the Senate is pushing for, and to be able to coordinate and avoid misunderstandings or any miscommunications," he added.

Escudero hoped that there would be no trading of barbs between the two chambers should there be disagreements on their positions on Charter change as this is "unparliamentary."

"Sana maayos, wala nang palitan ng maanghang na salita dahil kahit naman hindi kami nagkakasundo sa isa o tatlo o maraming bagay, hindi rason 'yan para maghugas kami ng maduming damit, ika nga, sa publiko at magsabihan ng kung ano-anong salita na hindi parliamentary, sa loob o sa labas man ng plenaryo," the Senate president said.

[I hope it would be orderly, no more exchanging of harsh words since even if we have differences, it is no reason for us to wash dirty linen in public and anything unparliamentary, during or outside the plenary.]

"Hindi bagay sa mambabatas magsalita ng unparliamentary remarks. Doon muna siguro kami magsisimula bago namin pag-usapan 'yung ibang mga bagay pa," he added.

[It is not for lawmakers to utter unparliamentary remarks. We have to start there before we discuss other things.]

The meeting between the two top leaders of Congress has yet to be scheduled.

Cha-cha

To recall, the Senate, under Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri's leadership, and the House of Representatives engaged in a word war over the proposals to amend the Charter, particularly the controversial people's initiative which was believed to be supported by the House members.

Among the issues that Escudero wants to clarify on proposals to amend the Constitution are the real intentions for pushing for Cha-cha and the issue of Congress either voting jointly or separately.

Escudero, who has been vocal in his opposition to Cha-cha, reiterated that he will not change his position against amending the 1987 Constitution.

The new Senate President also said that the scheduled committee hearings on economic Cha-cha will no longer push through after the resignation of Senator Sonny Angara as chairperson of the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.

For Escudero, it would be a waste of time if the Senate will tackle measures that have no chance of being passed.

"The new Senate President also said that the scheduled committee hearings on economic Cha-cha will no longer push through after the resignation of Senator Sonny Angara as the chairperson of the Senate subcommittee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes... Labing-apat na taon na ako sa Senado at alam at kabisado ko na kung...ano ang mahihirapang magpasa at mahihirapang magpasa [I've spent 14 years in the Senate and I know what measures would pass or not]," he said.

Asked if the measure includes the proposed amendments to the Charter, Escudero said, "Posible [It's possible]."

"Dahil 'yung huli kong tingin ay tila kulang at hindi makakarating," he said, adding that amendments to the Charter needs three-fourths vote of Congress' members and not an ordinary approval of bills that only needs majority of the quorum.

[From what I'm seeing, it would be farfetched.]

Will he be honest to Romualdez about the fate of Cha-cha in the Senate? Escudero said, "Mas mahirap mangako kung 'di kaya ibigay. Raising false hopes, I believe, is by far a bigger sin or a crime than just simply saying ‘no’."

Following the resignation of Senator Sonny Angara as chairperson of the sub panel, Escudero said they will discuss how the Senate will proceed with the deliberations of Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 which introduces amendments to the economic provisions of the Charter.

Escudero personally expressed opposition to the creation of the said subcommittee.

For him, it should be tackled by the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.

But it is up to the committee chairperson, Senator Robin Padilla, if he will continue the deliberations on RBH 6, he said.

The counterpart measure of RBH 6 in the House of Representatives had already been approved on third and final reading.

In the Senate, the subcommittee was scheduled to conduct consultations in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro before the change in the chamber's leadership. With the turn of events, Escudero said the scheduled Cha-cha consultations will be halted. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News