ANGARA: CONGRESS-LED TRUTH COMMISSION
IS CONSTITUTIONAL APPROACH

Senator Edgardo J. Angara yesterday said the "legal, practical and constitutional" way to put together the Truth Commission is by way of Congress.

"The way I understand it, the Supreme Court's principal ground for declaring the Truth Commission's unconstitutionality is its legality. This kind of investigative body should originate from Congress and not from the Executive," said Angara.

According to Angara, if the Aquino administration is set on pursuing the creation of the Truth Commission, the best option at this time was to have the government's legislative arm go through the proper process to set up the Truth Commission.

"This is the only constitutional, legal and practical approach if PNoy is truly intent on creating the body," he advised.

Angara further recommended proper action by PNoy's legislative team to rectify this problem.

"The Supreme Court made a sound, logical argument on the EO's unconstitutionality so I believe Malacanang should respect the decision. Perhaps the President's legal advisers should take some legislative measures to correct this situation since the ruling was already made. This would also show unity among the different branches of the new administration," he said. On Tuesday, the SC ruled PNoy's first Executive EO--which puts together a Truth Commission to investigate the scandals which plagued the previous administration--to be unconstitutional because it singles out the Arroyo presidency, violating the equal protection clause of the constitution.