LEADERS of the House of Representatives on Monday said the chamber, under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, would prefer to work with the Senate on proposed economic Charter amendments so these could take effect and benefit the country as soon as possible.
“It is important for us to work with the Senate on this, so that we can limit the possible constitutional challenge on RBH 6 and RBH 7 will face,” Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez told a news briefing.
He was referring to two resolutions pending in the House and the Senate continuing the economic amendment proposals.
“Tayo po dito sa Kongreso, we’re set to approve this (RBH 7) on third and final reading on Wednesday and I hope that our counterparts in the Senate will find enough time in their hands to approve the same,” Suarez said.
Since lawmakers are going on their Holy Week break this weekend, he said he looks forward “to the opportunity where both leaders of the House and leaders of the Senate can meet and finally decide on the proper course of action with regards to both RBHs.”
“Kasi iyong Senate kay RBH 6, tayo naman may RBH 7, tayo patapos na so kinaikailangan lang po talaga natin malaman sa Senate kung kailan at kung anong buwan maipapasa nila ‘yung version nila. Ang mahalaga naman po talaga dito is mapagbotohan ito ng ating mga mamamayan. Ang dulo parati nito will be a plebiscite. So, it is important for us to allow the Filipino people to decide on the proposed amendments,” he said.
He said the fastest route for the economic amendment proposals is “to get it approved and get it to the Comelec and have the plebiscite in the soonest as possible time.”
Suarez urged his colleagues in Congress, particularly senators, to reflect during the Holy Week on what to do with the economic constitutional amendment proposals.
“Siguro maganda na maximize natin ‘yung Holy Week break. We can do some self-reflection, we can pray for enlightenment. We can hope for discernment so that we can meet. Kasi talagang importanteng-importante na po ito para sa ating bansa,” he said.
“At nakikita niyo naman iyung excitement ng business community pagdating sa restrictions na pinag-uusapan na tatanggalin po natin sa ating Constitution. So ito pong pagkakataon na makakapagpahinga sa palagay ko maganda ‘yung pagkakataon na makapag-usap din ‘yung Senado at ang Kongreso para malaman na talaga ‘yung susunod na hakbang patungkol sa lifting ng restriction sa ating Constitution,” he said.
The Quezon lawmaker said they expect the resolutions, if approved by the two chambers of Congress and sent to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the scheduling of a plebiscite, to be questioned before the Supreme Court (SC).
“Kasi mangyayari at mangyayari ‘yun, kaya mahalaga na talagang makapag-usap ‘yung leadership ng Senate at ‘yung leadership ng House para mas makita natin kung ano ‘yung daan na mas maganda with less impediments,” he said.
Asked whether it is possible that the House would send RBH 7 to the Comelec once it is approved on third and final reading, Suarez said: “Everything is on the table, but I think the best route for us to take is to work with the Senate, because we want to lessen any legal obstacle for RBH 6 and RBH 7 will eventually face.”
“Tulad nga ng sinabi kanina na may mga sektor na handa nang maghahabla ng kaso sa Supreme Court, so mas maganda kung maghahabla ng kaso at may mga legal questions na kailangan mabigyan ng kaliwanagan. Maganda ‘yung both houses mag-usap para ma-address na kaagad natin ito moving forward,” he said.
House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said it would be better for the Senate to approve RBH 6, the senators’ version of proposed economic Charter amendments, before it is send to the Comelec.
“Mas maganda kung aprubahan ng Senado yung RBH6. Kasi syempre inaantay na rin namin sila…So sana kunin ng Senado ‘yung oras ngayong Holy Week para naman mapag-isipan nila. At sana naman ano ‘yung maramdaman nila ‘yung konsensya dahil talagang kailangang-kailangan na ito ng bawat Pilipino,” he said.
For his part, Rep. Rodge Gutierrez of 1-RIDER Party-list said it would be better that a case be filed with the Supreme Court (SC) once the House passes RBH 7.
He said House approval of the resolution would “be a sufficient trigger for the SC to take cognizance of this case.”
“Personally, I hope that they do consider that as a trigger…Over the Holy Week, we still have to consider the thoughts and the considerations of our colleagues in the Senate, but while that is pending, hopefully the SC would start the legal process to finally come up with a definite answer to these lingering questions,” he said.
“All of these are important, but we’re all moving towards the same goal naman and at the end of the day, any which way that the SC may rule, tao rin po ang magde-desisyon. It will end up in a plebiscite and that’s the most important thing,” he added.
Another House member, Malasakit@Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Anthony Golez said the House has come to a point on its economic Charter reform advocacy “where the next steps can be a lot of steps na possible.”
“It can be a bifurcation of so many steps. Kasi wala pang nakakaabot sa ganitong punto ang Kongreso. Makikita natin ngayon na maraming katanungan, papunta ba sa Comelec, papunta ba sa Supreme Court? All these things are possible,” he said.
