MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Chiz Escudero believes it will be “premature” for the Supreme Court (SC) to discuss the latest charter change (Cha-Cha) petition filed by Senator Robin Padilla.
“Personally, in my point of view, and I am not saying that this is correct, in my view the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction yet because the filing of the case is premature because there is no justiciable issue required by the Court before it assumes jurisdiction over any petition that was served to them,” said Escudero in a press briefing on Wednesday, August 7.
Escudero issued the statement when asked about Padilla’s recent move. Earlier on Wednesday, Padilla asked the SC to set oral arguments for his petition on whether the Congress should vote jointly or separately on amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
Padilla is the chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes.
The Senate president, a lawyer, clarified that he was only giving his legal opinion.
“I’m a trained officer of the court and I have been trained to respect whatever decision that the court will hand down, whether or not I agree with it. It’s not for me to preempt the court. I simply think that it is premature. That is my own legal opinion on the matter,” Escudero added.
Escudero said that Padilla did not consult any member of the Senate regarding his move.
“Iyan ay personal niyang desisyon. Hindi ‘yan kinunsulta o tinanong sa akin o sa sinumang miyembro ng Senado. Hindi ‘yan action ng Senado,” he added.
(That is his personal decision. It was not consulted or asked, neither was any member of the Senate. That is not an action of the Senate.)
Escudero had already said that Cha-Cha would not be a priority under his leadership. In July, he said that the Senate will “set aside items which merely dissipate our energy and divide the public.”
“For this same reason, pending bills on charter change will be placed in the backburner, and will follow the ordinary and regular process of legislation, if at all,” he said.
When he assumed the Senate leadership in May, Escudero reiterated that he was against Cha-Cha. Escudero is among the senators who have been vocal about their opposition to proposals to amend the Constitution even for economic provisions.
At the House of Representatives, Ilocos Norte 2nd District Representative Angelo Marcos Barba filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 8 on August 5, seeking to extend the terms of office for members of the House of Representatives from three to five years, but House leaders reiterated that they will not consider proposed constitutional amendments that are political in nature. – Rappler.com