House of Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday said the second regular session in the House of Representatives will be busy as the leadership plans to convene Congress in an assembly to pave the way for a shift from unitary to a federal form of government next year.
In a radio interview with dzMM, 听Alvarez said he wanted the 17th Congress to convene itself in a constituent assembly (con-ass) in January or February next year, when the House and the Senate in a joint session may propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
搁贰础顿:听Congress to convene for charter change next year 鈥� Alvarez
Aside from tackling Charter change matters, Alvarez said Congress听at the same time would be holding its usual second regular session.
鈥淭alagang maraming trabaho itong darating na taon,鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez said he has talked with Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III about the plan to convene both Houses of Congress, when Congress can appoint members of the Constitutional Commission (Con-Com) that would aid lawmakers to revise the Charter.
Alvarez initially wanted President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint the members of the ConCom, but Duterte听has so far only issued an executive order creating the ConCom which would aid Congress to propose amendments to the charter.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte issues EO creating body to review Constitution听
鈥淣ag-usap kami ni Senate President kahapon, na puwede na naming i-convene yung Congress dito, Constituent Assembly, at saka kami na yung magtatalaga noong Constitutional Commission para magiging technical working group, para pag-aralan at gawin yung draft yung revised Constitution kung saan pinapalitan natin yung sistema ng goberyno to federal form of government,鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez said the draft of the revised Charter would then be deliberated on the plenary by Congress, which under the present Constitution can revise the Charter in a three-fourths vote.
The Constitution however is silent whether or not Congress would vote jointly or separately.
搁贰础顿:听Alvarez: 鈥極kay鈥� to separate voting for House, Senate in a con-ass听
Alvarez said the revised Charter would then be ratified in a plebiscite after a massive information drive to inform the public about the new federal form of government.
鈥淧agkatapos niyan, pag tapos yung draft, pagdedebatehan ng Constituent Assembly at pagkatapos noon kung ma-approve na sabay yung massive information drive upang sa ganoon ay maintindihan ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino kung ano yung revised Constitution na isasalang natin sa plebesito,鈥� Alvarez said.
搁贰础顿:听It鈥檚听Con-ass, not听Con-con
The ball is rolling for Charter change in the lower House, especially after the House constitutional amendments committee passed a听concurrent resolution calling on Congress to convene in an assembly to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
搁贰础顿:听Con-ass hurdles听House听Charter听change听committee
Alvarez, meanwhile, said the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the passage of which was derailed in the previous Congress due to the involvement of the beneficiary Moro Islamic Liberation Front in a botched anti-terrorism operation, may face easy sailing in the current Congress if it does not contain unconstitutional provisions.
The Bangsamoro Transition Commission has turned over the new draft of the BBL to the President, who would in turn endorse the bill to the Senate and the lower House.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte to support 鈥榗onstitutional鈥� Bangsamoro
Alvarez said the BBL may be passed on final reading before the Christmas break, at the time the lower House is also expected to ratify the proposed 2018 budget.
鈥淚tong sa BBL titingnan namin hindi ko pa nababasa yung ano yung draft pero kung wala namang problema sa ating Saligang-Batas mabilis lang ito dito sa House of Representatives,鈥� Alvarez said.
鈥淏ago mag-Pasko tapos namin ito. Isasabay na po sa ano yung budget deliberation,鈥� he added.
President Duterte, whose political听promises include federalism, 听said during his听2016 presidential campaign that the shift to federalism may be an alternative to the Bangsamoro basic law, which seeks to put up a more autonomous Bangsamoro region.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte: Federalism an alternative to BBL
The passage of the BBL, a centerpiece legislation during the Aquino administration and a result of the peace talks between government and MILF, was derailed during the 16th Congress due to lack of quorum, in an apparent loss of confidence on the MILF whose fighters were involved in the botched Mamasapano operation that killed 44 Special Action Force cops./ac
搁贰础顿:听House leader gives up hope on BBL passage: We failed next generation听