Zubiri warns of ‘mess’ at Sona if Con-Ass convened
President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) would be a “mess” with a number of senators walking out if the occasion is used to convene a constituent assembly (Con-Ass).
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri issued the warning on Monday when asked about the possibility that the Sona might be used to constitute a Con-ass to propose changes to the 1987 Constitution.
“I don’t think there will be people blatant enough to do that. That’s not the proper forum. That should not even be experimented with because I can tell you now what some of my colleagues might do,” Zubiri said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.
“They might walk out…A lot of the senators might just stand up and walk out. It will be a mess,” he said.
“So for those who are planning to do that, I will suggest not to do it…I’d suggest not to do that. That would be very controversial… I hope they don’t do it,” the senator added.
At 10 am on July 23, the Senate and the House of Representatives will open the third and last regular Session of the 17th Congress. In the afternoon, the two chambers will convene in a joint session in to listen to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Sona.
Zubiri also rejected the possibility of scrapping the 2019 elections to pave the way for Charter change (Cha-cha).
“The elections should continue because we have to show stability…” he said.
“Charter change does not have to be rushed. Cha-cha could happen in the next half, within the term of the President still and then we can have the plebiscite in 2022 or we can have the plebiscite even earlier,” the senator said.
Besides, Zubiri expressed doubts that any amendments to the Constitution would be approved immediately even if the 2019 elections would be scrapped.
He cited as example the discussions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which he said took Congress almost a year to complete. The chambers are still finalizing the measure, which they expect to ratify at the opening of Congress.
READ: Zubiri: BBL 99% finished
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1010205/zubiri-bbl-99-finished
“You don’t rush these things. This is the Organic Act. This is the Constitutions. These things can’t be rushed,” Zubiri stressed. /cbb
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