Senate opposes SP Zubiri’s proposal on Charter Change

Although authored by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, at least seven members of the upper chamber expressed disapproval of the proposed Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RHB6), which aims to amend the 1987 constitution through economic provisions, enough to void the RHB6.

Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, a known critic of the Charter Change, is confident that seven consolidated votes from other Senators are enough to dismantle the proposed resolution by Zubiri.

“Our sense in the minority is that we’re not the only ones who will say no to Cha-Cha. Even the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 here at the Senate, ever since the start of our discussions with the Senate President, he knows my ‘no’ position even on the economic only provisions included in the RBH6 is firm,” said Hontiveros in an article from Rappler.

Zubiri, however, admitted that he cannot impose decisions on his colleagues, citing that they must create an independent choice for the namesake of the Filipino people. “You know, if I force them to vote yes to charter change, I really will no longer be Senate president. I will no longer have the trust and confidence of more than 14 senators if I force a vote, force them to vote on the affirmative,” he said in an interview with Rappler.

Despite the contrast inside the Senate, the 24 Senators came together to denounce the People’s Initiative (PI) allegedly orchestrated by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos. The intention behind the persevering people’s initiative in different regions of the country, aside from economic provisions, is to merge the upper and lower chambers of Congress, which can right away be a basis for a plebiscite among its members.

Pertinent to this matter, 24 Senators compared to 355 of the HOR is a massive difference in numbers, leaving them as a super minority once the amendments push through. Now that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has halted the People’s Initiative, both houses are pushing different versions of their resolution on the economic amendment in the 37-year-old constitution.

RHB No. 6 of the Senate is still in progress while the Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 of HOR has already passed on the third and final reading casting 288-8-2 votes last March, according to the press release of the House Speaker.