SENATE President Vicente C. Sotto III is calling an all-senators caucus a day after President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address in order to tackle a House proposal scrapping the 2019 elections to give way to Charter changes, effectively extending terms of incumbent officials with fixed terms set to expire next year.
This developed as a ranking Senate source, speaking on condition of anonymity, thumbed down a scenario where the majority of senators would back the House proposal to cancel the upcoming elections.
“No way. I am certain of the vote of 21 out of 23 senators,” the Senate insider told the BusinessMirror, admitting he was just “not sure” of the stand of ex-Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao.
The poll postponement plan was suggested to frontload a move to tinker with the 1987 Charter, including the proposed shift to a federal system of government favored by the Duterte administration.
“We will talk about it [no 2019 election] on Tuesday before I make any announcements,” Sotto told the BusinessMirror over the weekend. Sotto added: “I would rather speak [about the Charter-change-no-election scheme] when I already have the pulse of my colleagues.”
Sotto confirmed his preference to first convene an all-senators caucus when asked on Sunday if he sees the Senate supporting the House proposal to cancel next year’s scheduled elections for national and local offficials, including 12 senators and over 200 congressmen whose terms are set to expire next year.
Alvarez: Decide before October
Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, who is strongly pushing for the postponement of 2019 elections, said members of Congress should decide on the no-election issue before the filing of certificate of candidacy in October.
The speaker said the 2019 polls may be scrapped through a law passed by Congress.
But if the Senate would not agree, Alvarez said another option is for supporters of federalism to launch a people’s initiative (PI).
Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas has already filed House Bill 5724 so the people could use the PI and referendum mode for Charter change and legislation.
Abu’s measure seeks to adopt Republic Act 6735, or the Initiative and Referendum Act through PI in amending the Constitution.
Butch Fernandez and Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
This developed as a ranking Senate source, speaking on condition of anonymity, thumbed down a scenario where the majority of senators would back the House proposal to cancel the upcoming elections.
“No way. I am certain of the vote of 21 out of 23 senators,” the Senate insider told the BusinessMirror, admitting he was just “not sure” of the stand of ex-Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao.
The poll postponement plan was suggested to frontload a move to tinker with the 1987 Charter, including the proposed shift to a federal system of government favored by the Duterte administration.
“We will talk about it [no 2019 election] on Tuesday before I make any announcements,” Sotto told the BusinessMirror over the weekend. Sotto added: “I would rather speak [about the Charter-change-no-election scheme] when I already have the pulse of my colleagues.”
Sotto confirmed his preference to first convene an all-senators caucus when asked on Sunday if he sees the Senate supporting the House proposal to cancel next year’s scheduled elections for national and local offficials, including 12 senators and over 200 congressmen whose terms are set to expire next year.
Alvarez: Decide before October
Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, who is strongly pushing for the postponement of 2019 elections, said members of Congress should decide on the no-election issue before the filing of certificate of candidacy in October.
The speaker said the 2019 polls may be scrapped through a law passed by Congress.
But if the Senate would not agree, Alvarez said another option is for supporters of federalism to launch a people’s initiative (PI).
Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas has already filed House Bill 5724 so the people could use the PI and referendum mode for Charter change and legislation.
Abu’s measure seeks to adopt Republic Act 6735, or the Initiative and Referendum Act through PI in amending the Constitution.
Butch Fernandez and Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
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