Press Release
July 29, 2016

GORDON WELCOMES MALACANANG'S CALL FOR CON-ASS
INSTEAD OF CON-CON

Senator Richard J. Gordon yesterday said Malacanang's decision to transform the legislative body into a Constituent Assembly is a very welcome development in the light of his earlier call for Con-Ass instead of Constitutional Convention as a mode of amending the Charter.

"It is a most welcome development. The people-elected senators and congressmen are possible amenders of the Constitution. It is more expedient," he said.

Earlier this month, Gordon called for Con-Ass as a means to amend the Constitution following the strong clamor for Cha-Cha.

Gordon said he prefers to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to introduce revisions and amendments to the 1987 Constitution since it is the least expensive and it is the most expeditious mode compared to constitutional convention and people's initiative.

"There is no doubt that there is a need to amend the Constitution to make it adapt to the competition in the global economy, to make it flexible. But it must be understood by the masses. The Constitution provides three processes to do so but I think the best means is Constituent Assembly since there is no need to spend because there will be no campaign and may staff na," the senator said.

"Both Houses should vote separately to approve any amendment to the Constitution and it must go to a plebiscite," he added.

Gordon noted that instead of presenting all the amendments to the Constitution in one plebiscite, it should be done per provision so the public would have a better understanding of the amendments to be injected in the Charter before they vote on it in a plebiscite.

"Like in America, they do the revisions per amendment. Pati sa UK, when they amend their uncodified Constitution they don't do it in one whole go. Dapat isa-isang gawin ang mga pagamyenda at iprisinta sa taongbayan. Explain the baseline of what we want to change in the Constitution at gawin ng isa-isa para mas maintindihan ng mga tao. Yung 1935, 1973, pati 1987 Constitution, one voluminous Constitution ang pina-approve sa taong-bayan," he said.

Gordon was the youngest elected delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.

News Latest News Feed