Draft charter unveiled today

DUTERTE. The 22-man Consultative Committee that reviewed the 1987 Constitution will submit the draft Federal Constitution to President Duterte today.

The draft Charter, a product of hard work by the body led by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno and former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., main proponent of federalism in the Philippines, will be used as reference by both the House and the Senate in coming with the final revisions to be presented to the public in a referendum.

“This is a significant step towards realizing PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s) promise to shift to a federal form of government,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“We’re hoping that Congress will give it much weight as it prepares to submit proposed revisions to the Constitution to the people as a constituent assembly (con-ass),” he added.

Malacañang is likely to provide inputs as well to the document, particularly the recent pronouncements of the President on the election of his successor even before his official term ends, if Cha-cha has already been realized and following the holding of a plebiscite.

The said document is also expected to be endorsed by the President to the two Houses of Congress during or after his third State of the Nation Address (SoNA).

While the Palace’s preferred mode of revising the 30-year-old Charter is through con-ass, the Senate and the House of Representatives still have unresolved issues, particularly on the issue on whether they should vote jointly or separately.