Senate proud of its defense of Constitution – Malaya 12.23.2006

THE Senate, which adjourned Thursday for its month-long Christmas break, looks forward to another year of "existence" after having successfully thwarted a barrage of attempts by the Arroyo administration to banish it into oblivion and trample on the Constitution.

"Naging mainit po itong taon na 2006 at marami po ang nangyari. Sa Senado po naman, maipagmamalaki naming na talaga pong ginawa naming ang magagawa para maipagtanggol ang ating saligang batas at (nagawa) ang tungkulin na ibinigay ninyo po sa amin," said Senate President Manuel Villar.

Villar said the Senate, which will re-convene on Jan. 22, is confident that it would weather new storms in 2007 particularly with the mid-term elections underway.

He said the Senate stands proud for successfully defending the Constitution against the Palace-backed Charter change (Cha-cha) move with the House of Representatives as chief instigator.

"Railroading a resolution to convene a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to change the Constitution without the participation of this Upper Chamber was unconscionable. Even our people saw it for what it was, and they have spoken against it," Villar said in his year-end address to fellow senators.

Villar said those who spearheaded the Cha-cha train should have realized by now that the people have not actually receded into being mere spectators.

"The people are watching us. Contrary to popular perception that they have become cynical over matters that concern government, they are not," he said.

He added: "The people stood by this Senate to also denounce the questionable and suspicious manner by which the administration and its allies in Congress attempted to change the Constitution."

He said Malacañang, the House and even the judiciary "should take heed and learn from this lesson."

Villar also said senators will not tolerate heads of agencies who belittle the power of the Senate as an institution.

He said the action taken by the Senate on recalcitrant officials of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) was justified.

Villar was referring to the warrants issued against PCGG officials for defying summonses to appear in an inquiry and the subsequent detention at the Senate of PCGG chair Camilo Sabio while the other commissioners went into hiding.

"If government officials repeatedly ignore or defy our invitations to appear as resource persons in our Senate hearings, we are left with no choice but to do what has to be done," he said.

Villar called on President Arroyo to sign into law proposed legislations that have already hurdled Congress and are ripe for implementation next year.

The measures awaiting approval of the President are on: prescribing a fixed term for the Armed Forces chief of staff; mandating the use of biofuels in the transport sector; automating the elections; defining handline fishing and providing for regulation on the use of fishing boats; creating the rank of First Chief Master Sgt. and First Master Chief Petty Officer ranks in the AFP; and, amending Republic Act (RA) 6948 or the Veterans Act.

The proposed P1.126-trillion budget for 2007, however, failed to meet the deadline as it remains trapped in the bicameral conference committee. – Dennis Gadil