AN opposition leader in the House of Representatives frowned on the statement of Majority Leader Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte that Charter Change may force the lower chamber to defer the task of legislating new laws.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said Fariñas, being the majority floor leader, must push for the passage of the Palace-backed priority measures, not just Cha-Cha.
“The call of Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas for Congress to stop making laws in anticipation of Charter Change is ludicrous,” Lagman said.
“As Majority Leader, it is the duty of Fariñas to push for the enactment of the President’s legislative agenda yet he is proposing that the administration bills be consigned to the back-burner pending amendments to the Constitution,” Lagman said in a statement.
Lagman said that each lawmaker has their own priority measures that should be attended to by Congress as part of its legislative mandate.
“Members of the House have their own priority bills of national significance which should not be hanged at the gallows of a suspended legislative process,” Lagman said.
Fariñas earlier said that amending the Constitution is a gargantuan task and Congress may stop passing laws to give way to the tedious process of revising the 1987 Constitution that may take three years.
“The legislation may stop because we are revising the Constitution,” Fariñas told reporters, adding that some measures, like a new death penalty law, may even be swept aside while Congress is considering a new Constitution.
But Reps. Fred Castro of Capiz, Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte and Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, in separate interviews with the Manila Standard defended Fariñas.
“I think the Majority Leader should not be literally taken,” Castro said.
“There are legislative works like the priority legislation of the President that will have to be taken into consideration as they are necessitated to implement and push forward the urgent programs of the administration,” he said.
“Otherwise, the most urgent programs and urgent matters the administration will stagnate and will have to take a back seat,” Castro explained.
“Perhaps, what Majority Leader Fariñas meant was: [legislation] that are complimentary to implement the programs and goal of the administration can swiftly and simultaneously proceed,” Castro added.
Evardone said it is understandable that Charter Change must be on top of Congress’ priority list as this is a major policy initiative of the Duterte administration but this does not mean Congress will no longer act on other measures on the table, he added.
“We strongly support Cha-cha as a major policy initiative of the Duterte administration. It should really be at the front burner of the legislative agenda. I fully agree and support Congressman Fariñas’ view,” Evardone said.
Benitez and Barbers said that Congress may hold sessions during Thursdays and Fridays –from the usual Mondays to Wednesdays—to attend to other pieces of legislation.
“We can work over time. We can even hold sessions Thursdays and Fridays,” Benitez said.
Barbers said he believes the House leadership cannot afford to delay the passage of other pieces of legislation that are equally important to Charter Change.