House Assistant Minority Floor Leader Gilbert Remulla today said that President Arroyo’s apparent concern on the slow-paced approval of urgent bills being pushed by Malacañang is precisely one of the reasons why there is a general sentiment in Congress to revive the move to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Remulla said one of the primary objectives of the new charter change initiative is precisely to provide a long-term solution to the turtle-paced legislative process and the cyclic standoff between the executive and legislative branches in terms of their respective legislative agenda.
“ If we are allowed to review the Constitution, we might be able to finally unlock the recurring standoff between the houses of Congress or between Malacañang and Congress. If we can succeed in resolving this particular problem, then President Arroyo and the other presidents thereafter will no longer complain about the unnecessary delays in the approval and passage of urgent legislative measures,” Remulla said.
Remulla pointed out that one of the defects of the 1987 Constitution that needs to be addressed is the long-winding legislative process that is aggravated by constant political bickering among various partisan groups in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He said that existing multi-party system for example is based on personalities and not on clear political advocacy and platform, which is the causing the culture of “turncoatism” and party raiding in various political parties.
The present presidential form of government, Remulla said, also appears to be not suited to the country’s political climate and might need to be enhanced or even changed into parliamentary form.
Besides, the neophyte solon said, there is no harm if Congress would consult the people and find their pulse with respect to the charter change issue.
“ I don’t see anything wrong if we go through extensive consultation first with our constituents before we can move to revise the Constitution. If this is rejected by our people, then that’s the time that we should forget cha-cha,” Remulla said.