Senators say congressmen are out of their minds

SENATORS yesterday said some members of the House of Representatives are "out of their minds" if they think they can change the 1987 Constitution without the consent of Senate.

Sen. Francis Escudero, the new chair of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws, said common sense alone suggests that any ordinary legislation requires separate and independent deliberation and voting of the two chambers of Congress.

"A legislation alone as mundane as renaming of streets or schools necessitates separate voting of the Senate and the House, how much more any move to amend or revise the Constitution?" he said. Escudero replaced Sen. Richard Gordon.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, proponent of the resolution calling for Congress to convene into a Constituent Assembly to propose amendments to the Constitution, Monday night insisted that the House can go it alone without the Senate if it musters the constitutional requirement of three-fourths vote or 197 signatories of all 261 members of Congress which includes the 23 senators.

Escudero said to entertain the move to change the Constitution at present would be "morally questionable, if not dissolute" especially with the persistence of proposals to extend term limits of incumbent officials.

He said if ever there is indeed a need to change the Constitution, it may be done after the elections in 2010, at a time when there shall exist a fresh and legitimate mandate for most, if not all elective officials.

Sen. Mar Roxas said changing the Charter without the Senate’s participation would be the "worst Christmas gift ever" of the Arroyo administration.

"Gulo lang ang aabutin kapag itinuloy itong pag-railroad sa Cha-Cha," he said citing a latest Social Weather Stations survey that showed 64 percent of Filipinos against Charter Change.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also warned that a Senate-less Cha-cha would be tantamount to tempting the "people’s wrath."

"If the administration allies in the House will recklessly push for it, this may very well be the spark that will lead to a people’s uprising against this government. Don’t test the patience of our people battered by tremendous economic hardships," he said.

Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel said he is in favor of the suggestion of Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III for the Senate and House to hold dialogues to resolve the stalemate on amending the Charter.

He said the issue of whether the Senate and House should vote jointly or separately on amendments would be also settled through dialogues. – Dennis Gadil