House attempt to change legislative calendar bared - Malaya 09.25.2006
BY DENNIS GADIL
THE House of Representatives last month tried to revise the calendar of Congress to suit its charter change advocacy, sources said yesterday.
Under the "revised" calendar approved as Concurrent Resolution 34, Congress was to have adjourned last Saturday Sept. 23. The original calendar calls for a break on Oct. 14 with sessions to resume on Nov. 5
The "revised" calendar called for the resumption of session on Nov. 6 and a Christmas break starting on Dec. 21. The original calendar calls for a break starting Dec. 22.
Sources said the almost two-month break would provide congressmen more time to organize assemblies to galvanize support for amending the Charter either through a people’s initiative or constituent assembly (con-ass).
The Cha-cha drive is expected to continue during the holidays as Congress takes another month-long break from Dec. 22 to Jan. 21, 2007. In the original calendar, holiday break runs from Dec. 23 to Jan. 21, 2007.
The House likewise adopted a more "busy" session calendar by extending post-holiday sessions from Jan. 22 to March 29 contrary to the much-shorter version of Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, 2007 as provided in the original calendar.
The sources said the House sought to prolong session for 2007 to accommodate debates on proposed amendments, which could later lead to a referendum.
The sources said the House approved the "revised" calendar in a flash. The approval successfully escaped the attention of opposition stalwarts who were then strengthening their second impeachment case against President Arroyo.
Minority leader Francis Escudero was even listed as co-author of the "revised" calendar which was passed barely a week after President Arroyo delivered her State-of-the-Nation-Address.
It was endorsed by the committee on rules chaired by majority leader Prospero Nograles and transmitted to the Senate late August.
Under the Constitution, the House and Senate operate under a single legislative calendar, which is ratified by both chambers.
The 13th Congress is on its last and third regular session.
The Senate reportedly gave a mute reaction to the "revised" calendar and affirmed the original calendar through Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 16 with majority leader Francis Pangilinan as author. Sources said the House leadership was forced to withdraw its "revised" calendar as Sept. 23 drew near.
A check at the House showed that the Senate version was finally adopted barely "two weeks ago" after Nograles made a discreet motion on the floor to officially withdraw the revised version.
"They (House) yielded to the Senate calendar," a House official, who was privy to the drafting of the "revised" calendar, said over the weekend.
The House official said Nograles now claims the "revised" calendar was only a "proposal."
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., principal drumbeater for the shift to a parliamentary system, has boasted that at least four to six senators are willing to sit in the proposed House-led constituent assembly. The House has secured a total of 190 signatures calling for the convening of a con-ass to amend the charter.
A Senate resolution declared that the chamber will not support the bid of the House to convene a con-ass unless both chambers vote separately.
It also opposed the bid of local government units and pro-Cha-cha groups to amend the Constitution via the people’s initiative, citing a high court ruling that people’s initiative lacks an enabling law.
Cha-cha advocates Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and Sigaw ng Bayan have asked the Supreme Court to reverse its 1997 ruling declaring that there is no enabling law to activate the provision on people’s initiative.
The high court has scheduled oral arguments on the petition tomorrow.
NENE SLAMS ULAP
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the failure of ULAP to reveal the source of funding of its advertisements is another ground for the Supreme Court to dismiss the people’s initiative.
He said ULAP may have collected contributions from governors, mayors and other local chief executives.
The other source of funds, he said, could be Malacañang which may be using ULAP and Sigaw ng Bayan coalition to funnel the funds for the campaign for the shift to a unicameral parliamentary system.
Pimentel said that if the money is coming from the coffers of LGUs, including shares of internal revenues that are remitted by the national government, the governors and mayors should be made to explain under what authority they have channeled the funds to Cha-cha drive.
"My own inquiry into this thing indicates that there is a group here that wants to promote its own agenda and claiming that the initiative comes from the people because these advertisements are mainly intended to support the approval of the people’s initiative," he said.
He said a one-page advertisement in some broadsheets was titled "We the sovereign Filipino people are just fed up."
"We are fed up with a non-performing Senate. We are fed up with the presidential system and the bicameral legislature," the ad said.
Pimentel said the advertisements entailed enormous expenses since a full-page advertisement in a major daily easily costs P100,000.
He said the TV ads cost much more.
POLITICAL CIRCUS
Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) chairman Lito Monico Lorenzana, in a statement, said the country would be spared from traditional politics if the people choose to be under a parliamentary system.
"This country has had enough of politics, of shouting matches and grave abuse of subpoena powers. It’s about time that we spare the people of the horrible political circus," he said.
Lorenzana also said the animosity between the executive and the legislature has no place in a parliament simply because the two branches are already fused into one branch.
He said that should there be any investigation, or the Parliament decides to question a member of the Cabinet, basic courtesy is observed.
He said the unicameral system would necessitate members of Parliament to be judicious and objective in dealing with the officials of the executive branch. – With JP Lopez
THE House of Representatives last month tried to revise the calendar of Congress to suit its charter change advocacy, sources said yesterday.
Under the "revised" calendar approved as Concurrent Resolution 34, Congress was to have adjourned last Saturday Sept. 23. The original calendar calls for a break on Oct. 14 with sessions to resume on Nov. 5
The "revised" calendar called for the resumption of session on Nov. 6 and a Christmas break starting on Dec. 21. The original calendar calls for a break starting Dec. 22.
Sources said the almost two-month break would provide congressmen more time to organize assemblies to galvanize support for amending the Charter either through a people’s initiative or constituent assembly (con-ass).
The Cha-cha drive is expected to continue during the holidays as Congress takes another month-long break from Dec. 22 to Jan. 21, 2007. In the original calendar, holiday break runs from Dec. 23 to Jan. 21, 2007.
The House likewise adopted a more "busy" session calendar by extending post-holiday sessions from Jan. 22 to March 29 contrary to the much-shorter version of Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, 2007 as provided in the original calendar.
The sources said the House sought to prolong session for 2007 to accommodate debates on proposed amendments, which could later lead to a referendum.
The sources said the House approved the "revised" calendar in a flash. The approval successfully escaped the attention of opposition stalwarts who were then strengthening their second impeachment case against President Arroyo.
Minority leader Francis Escudero was even listed as co-author of the "revised" calendar which was passed barely a week after President Arroyo delivered her State-of-the-Nation-Address.
It was endorsed by the committee on rules chaired by majority leader Prospero Nograles and transmitted to the Senate late August.
Under the Constitution, the House and Senate operate under a single legislative calendar, which is ratified by both chambers.
The 13th Congress is on its last and third regular session.
The Senate reportedly gave a mute reaction to the "revised" calendar and affirmed the original calendar through Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 16 with majority leader Francis Pangilinan as author. Sources said the House leadership was forced to withdraw its "revised" calendar as Sept. 23 drew near.
A check at the House showed that the Senate version was finally adopted barely "two weeks ago" after Nograles made a discreet motion on the floor to officially withdraw the revised version.
"They (House) yielded to the Senate calendar," a House official, who was privy to the drafting of the "revised" calendar, said over the weekend.
The House official said Nograles now claims the "revised" calendar was only a "proposal."
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., principal drumbeater for the shift to a parliamentary system, has boasted that at least four to six senators are willing to sit in the proposed House-led constituent assembly. The House has secured a total of 190 signatures calling for the convening of a con-ass to amend the charter.
A Senate resolution declared that the chamber will not support the bid of the House to convene a con-ass unless both chambers vote separately.
It also opposed the bid of local government units and pro-Cha-cha groups to amend the Constitution via the people’s initiative, citing a high court ruling that people’s initiative lacks an enabling law.
Cha-cha advocates Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and Sigaw ng Bayan have asked the Supreme Court to reverse its 1997 ruling declaring that there is no enabling law to activate the provision on people’s initiative.
The high court has scheduled oral arguments on the petition tomorrow.
NENE SLAMS ULAP
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the failure of ULAP to reveal the source of funding of its advertisements is another ground for the Supreme Court to dismiss the people’s initiative.
He said ULAP may have collected contributions from governors, mayors and other local chief executives.
The other source of funds, he said, could be Malacañang which may be using ULAP and Sigaw ng Bayan coalition to funnel the funds for the campaign for the shift to a unicameral parliamentary system.
Pimentel said that if the money is coming from the coffers of LGUs, including shares of internal revenues that are remitted by the national government, the governors and mayors should be made to explain under what authority they have channeled the funds to Cha-cha drive.
"My own inquiry into this thing indicates that there is a group here that wants to promote its own agenda and claiming that the initiative comes from the people because these advertisements are mainly intended to support the approval of the people’s initiative," he said.
He said a one-page advertisement in some broadsheets was titled "We the sovereign Filipino people are just fed up."
"We are fed up with a non-performing Senate. We are fed up with the presidential system and the bicameral legislature," the ad said.
Pimentel said the advertisements entailed enormous expenses since a full-page advertisement in a major daily easily costs P100,000.
He said the TV ads cost much more.
POLITICAL CIRCUS
Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) chairman Lito Monico Lorenzana, in a statement, said the country would be spared from traditional politics if the people choose to be under a parliamentary system.
"This country has had enough of politics, of shouting matches and grave abuse of subpoena powers. It’s about time that we spare the people of the horrible political circus," he said.
Lorenzana also said the animosity between the executive and the legislature has no place in a parliament simply because the two branches are already fused into one branch.
He said that should there be any investigation, or the Parliament decides to question a member of the Cabinet, basic courtesy is observed.
He said the unicameral system would necessitate members of Parliament to be judicious and objective in dealing with the officials of the executive branch. – With JP Lopez
posted by brodkaster43 at Lunes, Setyembre 25, 2006
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