LACK OF TIME GREATEST HINDRANCE TO CHARTER CHANGE - PIMENTEL

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said he has no quarrel with the proposal of the House of Representatives to call a Constitutional Convention after the May, 2010 elections but time constraint would make it difficult for the Senate to approve the measure.

Pimentel said that while he is batting for the convening of Congress into a Constituent Assembly to adopt a federal system of government, he will go along with the House bill to hold a Con-Con if that is the stand of majority of the 23 senators.

But considering that only nine session days are left before Congress adjourns for the election recess, Pimentel said the time would be too insufficient for lawmakers to debate the planned Con-Con fully and intelligently.

"It would be very difficult to get the Con-Con proposal approved because the time-frame is too short," the minority leader said.

"Considering the circumstances, I doubt whether we can get the process moving because the issue of constitutional amendments should be discussed thoroughly and openly."

Pimentel also expressed reservations over the provision in House Bill 6975 which schedules the election of Con-Con delegates on October 25 this year, to coincide with the nationwide barangay polls.

He said the simultaneous Con-Con and barangay elections may confuse voters because they will find themselves facing two entirely different issues.

"I am not in favor of simultaneous elections because the issue of barangay politics will intrude and perhaps even supervene over the issue of Charter Change. This is one of the things that makes me apprehensive," Pimentel said.