Don't waste time on ConAss - Gordon

Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind..) today said that it would be a waste of time to give importance to the Constituent Assembly (Con Ass) proposed in the House of Representatives as he expressed confidence that the Supreme Court (SC) would only junk such an unconstitutional act.

Gordon, former chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws, said the Supreme Court would not tolerate an unconstitutional act where the Congress will act as one body to amend the 1987 Constitution.

"The Supreme Court has already indicated that it will not tolerate any premature filing and neither, I think, will it tolerate an unconstitutional act where the Congress, which is composed of two bodies, will act as only one body to amend the Constitution," he said.

"Ngayon, malinaw na ang kailangang gawin ng Kongreso kung gusto nilang mag-Con Ass ay talagang tatawag sila ng Con Ass na sila-sila. Pati yun ibabasura ng Korte Suprema pagdating ng oras," he added.

The High Court has dismissed a petition seeking to nullify a measure that seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly, ruling that the issue on Con-Ass was "premature and lacked a justiciable issue."

It added that the House of Representatives has not yet performed an act or made a proposal that would warrant an intervention of the court. Hence, no usurpation of power or gross abuse of discretion has taken place.

The High Court issued the ruling following a massive anti-Charter change (Cha-cha) rally launched last week.

Gordon advised members of the House of Representatives that they should stop such move as it is only creating further disorder, which could escalate to an uproar like what happened in Iran and Pakistan .

"Dapat maghunos dili ang Kongreso at tigilan na nila yang ginagawa nilang yan. Wag na sana nilang gawing guluhin at talagang naliligalig ang bansa. Imbes na makagawa tayo ng marami pang kabutihan ay hindi magagawa yung kabutihan dahil sa gulong nangyayari," he said.

"Tingnan nila yung nangyayari, halimbawa sa Iran ngayon na nagkakagulo na ang mga tao sa eleksyon, maaaring mangyari yan dito. Ganoon din ang nangyari sa Pakistan noong araw," the senator added.