Enrile: Senate will oppose House moves on Cha-cha
(says 'my statements were taken out of context')

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile maintained yesterday his unwavering opposition to any charter change (cha-cha) initiative intended to modify government structure and the manner of voting on proposed amendments to the Constitution.

Enrile issued the statement to correct reports especially the headline of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on February 4, 2009 that claimed he, speaking for the Senate, was "prepared to consider moves in the House of Representatives to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution and that he was keeping an 'open mind' on other possible changes."

"My statements before the media yesterday were taken out of context. What I've said was that if talks on cha-cha are elevated to the Senate, I am ready to keep an open mind about it only if, and I stress, only if the proposals to be considered will deal with economic provisions of the present Constitution, nothing more," he said.

"But as to the other aspects of charter change such as changing our form of government and, more importantly, the manner of voting on the amendments, that is not something I am willing to compromise. In fact, I said, 'pag nadagdagan pa ng medyo kontrobersyal na provision, dedbol na yon,'" Enrile emphasized. He added that we have to consider the fear of the public that considering the amendments purportedly "only as economic provisions" may be a ploy to introduce other extraneous amendments. "The Senate will definitely not countenance such a ploy." Enrile said.

On House Resolution No. 737 which seeks to allow 100-percent foreign ownership of land, Enrile said that even if the proposed amendment is "economic" in nature, he and his colleagues still objects to the manner by which the lower house approved the measure.

When asked what assurance he can give that cha-cha will be limited to economic changes, the Senate President that his statement the other day meant that "the assurance they [senators] can give is their collective commitment to protect what is good and oppose what is bad for the people."

Enrile further stressed that on matters pertaining to the mode of introducing reforms to the constitution, he remains committed to the collective stand of the Senate that they firmly oppose and will challenge attempts by the Lower House to unilaterally pursue cha-cha, based on the latter's flawed interpretation of the constitutional provision on the manner of voting under a constituent assembly.

Under Enrile's leadership, the Senate on December 11, 2008 unanimously adopted Resolution No. 154, expressing the sense of the Senate that any attempt by the House of Representatives to unilaterally propose amendments to or revise the Constitution without the approval by three-fourths of the Senate voting separately is unconstitutional.

"The Senate firmly adheres to the intent of the Constitution that any proposed constitutional amendment requires the approval of both houses of Congress voting separately," Enrile said.