Voice vote on Con-ass ‘shameless’ – bishop

Voice vote on Con-ass ‘shameless’ – bishop

House of Representatives. PHOTO COURTESY OF HoR PUBLIC AFFAIRS BUREAU

Catholic bishops came out strong against the lower House for approving constituent assembly through a voice vote as means to amend the Constitution.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said such important decisions should not have been done through “viva voce”.

“There should be ample discussion and deliberate voting. In what they have done either they do not know the importance of their decision or they wanted to railroad the process,” Pabillo said.

The House of Representatives adopted on Jan. 16 the resolution to convene Congress as a constituent assembly for Charter change to give way to a federal system of government.

The Senate will have to pass a similar resolution in order for the Constituent Assembly to be convened.

Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon also criticized the House majority for “railroading” the resolution, adding that the lower House “is fast becoming a stamping pad of the wishes of the President”.

“This is really railroading- a shameless act of Congress,” he said. “This is a premonition of what will happen next—a dictatorial rule.”

“By this time, the super majority of Congress should realize that there is a growing opposition to federalism, a move which serves their interest rather than the common good,” said Bastes.

For his part, Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga lamented how Congress has become just a “political party of numbers” and acting according to their “whims, political interests and personal benefits”. CBCPNews

“That will happen with viva voce,” according to Santos.

He also called on lawmakers not to rush in drafting a new Charter and instead address first the many pressing needs and urgent problems of the country like corruption and criminalities.

“These are some of things, legislators (should) do, rather than discuss or destroy our Constitution,” added Santos. CBCPNews