THE proposed restoration of the death penalty and three other measures being pushed by President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies would be opposed by the Minority Bloc in the Senate, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Tuesday.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado, Trillanes said the three other measures which they agreed to block were the lowering of the minimum age for criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old, postponement of the barangay elections scheduled this October, and any move to change the 1987 Constitution.
“The Minority Bloc will block all those,” said Trillanes who belongs to the Opposition in the Upper Chamber.
The other members are Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon, Senators Bam Aquino and Risa Hontiveros and detained Sen. Leila de Lima.
Trillanes disclosed that before Congress adjourned on March 15, they reached an agreement on the four measures which are among the priority measures of the President.
The House of Representatives has so far approved only the death penalty bill.
Trillanes also said the proposed postponement of the barangay elections would not be approved at the Senate.
He emphasized that even some members of the Majority Bloc were not in favor of it.
“So it’s unlikely. The barangay elections for all intents and purposes would push through by October,” he said.
The senator said the Minority Bloc would not agree that Congress should convene as Constituent Assembly to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution unless it was clear that the Senate and the House would vote separately.
“Definitely, this won’t push through and we will also not allow ourselves to be convened as a Constituent Assembly unless and until voting process is clarified. It should be separate,” related Trillanes.