HOUSE leaders yesterday urged senators to walk the talk and pass Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 which proposes economic amendments to the Constitution with the two houses voting separately.
House Majority Leader Manuel Jose said the Senate’s adoption of its own resolution should be enough to put to rest allegations that the House is out to have the Senate abolished through Charter change.
“Pass your version of RBH 6, where there are no political provisions, only economic provisions, and we will be one with the Senate. We will no longer ask for any debates. No questions asked,” Dalipe told a news briefing. “If they want, we can even do blood compact just like what Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.”
Zubiri’s RBH No. 6 is entitled, “A Resolution of Both Houses of Congress proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, particularly on Articles XII, XIV and XVI.”
The resolution is co-authored by Senators Loren Legarda and Juan Edgardo Angara.
The Zamboanga City lawmaker said senators have always blocked moves to amend the Constitution even as far back as RBH 2 in the previous Congress, which proposed the constituent assembly (con-ass) mode to revise the Charter.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said no less than Zubiri had promised to President Marcos Jr. and the Speaker that he can have RBH No. 6 passed but now, he has made a total turnaround.
“My worry is just that they may not be able to get the 18 votes needed, just like what he (Zubiri) promised us. SP Migz told us he can have it passed by March,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he was worried that some senators may use the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to indefinitely postpone the acceptance of signature sheets for the people’s initiative campaign as an excuse to delay voting on RBH No. 6.
Gonzales recalled that last January 23, during the commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the First Philippine Republic at the Barasaoin Church in Malolos City, Bulacan, Zubiri and Legarda both promised to have the Senate adopt RBH No. 6 before the Holy Week adjournment of Congress on March 22.
“Nasa Malolos kami (We were in Malolos) with the Speaker and Senator Legarda and Senator (Mark) Villar, that time na pinapakiusap na if you will stop PI, na wala naman kaming pakialam dun sa PI (that time when the senators pleaded for us to stop the PI, which we don’t have anything to do with), na (that) they will embrace RBH No. 6, and they will pass it before March,” he said.
He said approval of the resolution would require a three-fourths vote of the Senate, or at least 18 senators.
Gonzales however welcomed the decision of the Senate to start tackling the Zubiri-Legarda-Angara resolution today. “That’s a good development. Sana tuloy-tuloy ‘yung hearings nila (We hope their hearings will continue) so they can meet their self-imposed deadline,” he said.
Romualdez and leaders of major political parties belonging to the majority have committed to quickly adopt RBH No. 6 as soon as the Senate sends it to the House.
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman of Bataan recalled that many of the senators backed Cha-cha when they were still congressmen only to have a sudden change of heart when they won their Senate seats.
“Let’s walk the talk. Let’s focus our efforts on discussing the RBH-6. Let’s not waste time.
Let’s start the ball rolling. Let’s make it happen,” she said in the same press conference.
“There’s nothing to fear about change. E ako nga e, nag change change din ako sa sarili kong buhay, ‘di naman lumubog ang langit (Take it from me, I also underwent changes in my own life, but the world did not end).”
