Drilon echoes call vs. Charter change
FORMER Senate President Franklin Drilon, on a visit to Dagupan last week, echoed calls for vigilance against moves by the allies of the Arroyo government to carry out Charter changes througha constituent assembly minus the Senate.
Drilon said the move is illegal and unconstitutional and should be condemned by the public.
The Senate on Wednesday voted 23-0 rejecting an amendment of the Constitution by Con-As even as tactical moves are now snowballing in the House of Representative.
Drilon said doing Cha-cha at this time will only exacerbate present political instability and uncertainty.
“This is the last thing that we need in our country given the economic difficulties that we will face next year,” he said, adding any Charter change at this time has “no useful purpose except the selfish motive of those in power”.
Drilon said the next six months will be crucial to the country and so the public must keep watch on crucial events within government.
Among those to be watched is the appointment of new members of the Supreme Court, who in turn, might have to decide on constitutional issues that will be raised by the President’s allies in Congress in pursuit of the latter’s charter change via constituent assembly.
“We are not against Chacha but we are opposing the means used by the administration to change the Constitution,” said Drilon who is chairman of the Liberal Party.
“Their prime agenda is to extend the term of Mrs. Arroyo, remove term limits or change of form of government into a Parliamentary system where the Mrs. Arroyo will run again under the Parliament and become prime minister,” he added.
Drilon said he supports a Constitutional convention where delegates will be elected in May 2010 and the convention shall be held after the presidential elections.
Drilon also sought the active participation of the members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in the process for selecting candidates for the four SC justice positions as well as in voicing out their resistance to Cha-cha at this time.
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