'No constituent assembly at joint session'

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate would never allow today’s joint opening session of Congress to convene as a constituent assembly (con-ass) to introduce amendments to the Constitution, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile vowed yesterday.

Enrile warned he would immediately declare the joint session over after President Arroyo delivers her State of the Nation Address (SONA) today to prevent any attempt by the House of Representatives to use the opportunity to convene a con-ass.

He reiterated that senators have no other agenda except to attend the SONA.

Enrile noted moves by administration congressmen to introduce Charter change (Cha-cha) in the agenda of the joint opening session.

He made his statement even as Speaker Prospero Nograles also assured the public that there would be no con-ass at today’s joint session.

Nograles denied claims by critics including his predecessor, Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., that congressmen would trick the senators by introducing Cha-cha initiatives during the opening session.

De Venecia had warned that administration allies would try to introduce House Bill 737 of Nograles and the con-ass resolution during the joint session.

HB 737 aims to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Nograles’ proposal, dubbed as the fourth mode in amending the Constitution, will go through the usual legislative mill, according to House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor.

“If we approve it, we will send it to the Senate. But if the Senate kills it, then that’s it. It’s dead,” Defensor said.

Presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo also assured there would be no con ass.

“It (con–ass) will not happen and it is not going to happen,” Arroyo said.

“Even the Speaker himself had said that with the Senate unwilling to involve itself in convening Congress into a legislative body, the con-ass resolution has now become a useless piece of paper. This issue is not even worth talking about,” he added.

Arroyo pointed out that Defensor, as the House Majority Leader, has already declared all Charter change (Cha-cha) initiatives shelved.

“It is dead and that it is not even included in the agenda of the House,” he said.

Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Simeon Datumanong (Maguindanao) also assured the joint session would immediately adjourn after the President delivers her SONA.

“We will just convene in joint session purposely to hear the SONA of President Arroyo. There is no more purpose of that joint session other than that,” Datumanong said.

Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella and Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said the allegations that congressmen would pull a fast one on the senators are “far from reality.”

“It has no basis and it (con-ass) will not happen,” Puentevella declared.

Administration congressmen pounced on De Venecia who earlier urged Enrile to immediately declare the session over after the SONA.

De Venecia said Enrile would prevent the joint session during the SONA from being converted into a con ass.

De Venecia warned administration congressmen would take the opportunity to discuss the proposed amendments to the Constitution during the joint session in the presence of the senators.

De Venecia said the renewed effort to revive Charter change initiatives would be calculated to stir unrest and create a scenario of instability to justify the declaration of emergency rule and set the stage for martial law.

He said one of the scenarios is a chaotic election or failure of election, which could be the final trigger for Mrs. Arroyo’s declaration of martial law and stay in power beyond her term on 2010.

In transition

Enrile, for his part, said Mrs. Arroyo would be judged in history on what kind of leader she was during her nine years of presidency.

Sen. Loren Legarda noted the dwindling trust given to Mrs. Arroyo in recent surveys.

Legarda said the surveys reflected Mrs. Arroyo’s failure to improve the lives of the Filipinos, most of who are disappointed with the corruption in her administration.

Enrile noted Mrs. Arroyo has been an unpopular leader, which is why critics are against any moves by her allies to tinker with the Constitution in the effort to allow her to stay in power, even with the idea of installing a transition government.

He said the idea of a provisional government, as proposed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, is already too late in the day.

“At this point in time, its too late to talk about transition government. We are almost reaching the election period,” he said.

Enrile said Malacañang had nothing to do with Gonzalez’s proposal.

If it’s just a proposal on the part of Bert Gonzales, if somebody will believe him, congratulations. If nobody believes him, what can we do?” he said.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., for his part, said the proposed transition government pushed by Gonzales reflects the administration’s plan to amend the Constitution to allow Mrs. Arroyo to keep herself in power beyond her legal term.

If the proposed transition government does not have Mrs. Arroyo’s approval, Pimentel asked why the President has not restrained Gonzales from pursuing it since he started floating the idea early this year.

Pimentel said a transition government as proposed by Gonzales would go against the Constitution by disregarding the presidential succession and possibly declare an emergency rule.

“They (Malacañang) keep on denying any involvement in a plan for transition government, but a lot of people who seem in the know keep on talking about it,” he said.

Opposition leaders led by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay revealed Gonzales even offered Chief Justice Reynato Puno to head the supposed transition council.

Binay said the proposed transition council peddled by Gonzales would just be a civilian-military junta in disguise since Mrs. Arroyo will continue to wield her commander-in-chief powers over the military.

He said Gonzales is apparently following the order of Mrs. Arroyo to peddle the idea of a transition government.

“It is apparent that Mrs. Arroyo has no plans of riding into the sunset. She continues to wield power as if she is not on her last few months of office. It is for this reason that the opposition is bracing for a full-scale administration push to extend Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in Malacañang beyond 2010, whether through Charter change or martial law,” Binay said.

Legarda, on the other hand, urged President Arroyo to reveal the real state of the nation in her SONA.

“Because of the past experience with the President over the past nine years, our people have come to expect less than the truth or the opposite of the truth from her,” Legarda said.

She said Mrs. Arroyo’s SONA would serve as a guide for the next administration to improving the living conditions of the people.

For Pimentel, there is nothing new at Mrs. Arroyo’s SONA.

Pimentel said that year after year since ascending to the presidency in 200l, Mrs. Arroyo has made numerous promises but only failed on them.

He said none of the goals she promised has been achieved.

“Simply speaking, I don’t think her SONA will be any different from her past SONAs characterized by her attempt to deceive the people and conceal her failures,” Pimentel said. – With Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, Helen Flores