House of the Representatives and the Senate look forward to having con-ass not as one body.
Top officials in the Congress seem to be amenable toward revising the Philippine Constitution to give way to federalism by constituent assembly and voting will be done in the two houses separately.
In a constituent assembly, changes to the Constitution would be done with a three-fourth vote of Congress.
On Tuesday morning (August 9), senators led by Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and House members led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez met at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and discussed con-ass.
After the meeting, Pimentel said the Senate interpretation of the constitutional provision on con-ass was for the House of Representatives and the Senate to vote separately.
“The senators’ interpretation of the constitutional provision of Article 17 on Amendments and Revisions is if Congress is to propose amendments or revisions of the constitution, the voting must be done separately,” Pimentel said.
Alvarez said the House would be willing to adjust to the Senate’s interpretation if only for both chambers of Congress to agree on voting separately
“Basta magkasundo kami, okay na yun. Whether voting separately or jointly, magkakasundo kami,” Alvarez said.
Asked if he would be willing to adjust to the Senate, Alvarez said: “Wala kaming problema.”
But both leaders of Congress said they have yet to make a final decision on whether or not Congress would vote separately.
“Wala naman kaming decision. Free-flowing lang po ang usapan,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel denied that there was a gridlock in Congress whether to vote jointly or separately.
“There’s no gridlock, because there was no agenda. This was just to thresh out our earlier agreement that we should meet formally or informally,” Pimentel said.
If there was an agreement, it was for Congress to meet more regularly, Pimentel said.
As we all know, President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing, even from the start of his presidential campaign to change the system of government in the Philippines into federal.