MANILA, Philippines- Iginiit ni retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente Mendoza nitong Lunes na dapat magpulong ng dalawang kapulungan ng Kongreso bilang isang constitutional assembly, hindi isang legislative body, upang amyendahan ang 1987 Constitution.
Ito ang inihayag ni Mendoza sa pagdinig ng Senado sa Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 — isang panukalang nagsusulong ng economic Charter change.
“To say that they must vote separately, you are disregarding the fact that Congress is not acting as a legislative body, Congress is acting as a constituent assembly. It should be only one assembly. One assembly only, not Congress — because when we speak of Congress, we speak of the two Houses, we imply the House and the Senate. But when we speak of a constituent assembly, we call on the Congress to wear its other hat, that is as a constituent assembly,” pahayag ni Mendoza.
Binigyang-diin ni Mendoza na ang pag-amyenda sa Konstitusyon ay hindi isang non-legislative function.
Kaya naman, kailangang gumana bilang isang assembly, subalit kailangang hiwalay pa rin ang pagboto.
“If RHB6 is approved, we would be permitting the amendment of the Constitution by ordinary method of legislation,” giit niya.
Sa parehong pagdinig, ipinaliwanag ni Constitution framer at former justice Adolfo Azcuna na ang RBH 6 ay nasa ilalim ng constitutional assembly method.
“There are only three methods [to amend the Constitution]. This is the first method, which is the Congress acting as a constituent assembly,” ani Azcuna.
Subalit hindi kagaya ni Mendoza, binanggit ni Azcuna na hindi kailangang magsama ng mga mambabatas dahil walang “requirement for joint hearing.”
“There is no requirement for a joint voting, either. We left that unintentionally open whether you’ll meet together in a joint session or meet separately — that is up to you,” giit niya. RNT/SA
