ABS-CBN News Online Beta

Palace says it won't stop 'reform-oriented cha-cha'

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/21/2008 6:07 PM

Printer-friendly version | Send to friend | Post Comment

Malacañang will not stop a charter change drive that will reform the economy, but it will not support one that will extend the terms of incumbent, elective public officials, including President Arroyo, a Palace official said.

Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said Friday that the "Palace's support for charter change is limited to that which is reform-oriented and reform-driven and will disown, exclude and reject one that deals with term extensions and other schemes to perpetuate or otherwise politically-benefit incumbent elective officials, including the President."

"For the record, the Palace is not the initiator or orchestrator of charter change moves in the House. While it may be true that the Palace has not prevented nor discouraged such moves, this has been due not only to the cliche about Congress being an independent branch of government but out of this administration's consistent belief  in the need for constitutional reform to significantly boost the country's chances for growth and development," he said.

Claudio said Malacañang supports the resolution of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, which seeks to lift the economic protectionist provisions in the 1987 Constitution, including the restrictions on foreign investments in sensitive sectors.

"Since the presidential campaign of 2004, the President has advocated constitutional reform, particularly in the removal of instituional obstacles to investments, sustained economic viability, and political stability. This is why perhaps the House Resolution for charter amendments to remove economic restrictions for the entry of foreign investments deserves better sober consideration in the light of the current global economic crisis," Claudio said.

Nograles has filed a resolution in the lower house calling for a constituent assembly that will remove protectionist provisions in the 1987 charter.

In addition to these economic restrictions, Claudio said the Palace will also support political reform amendments aimed at removing political gridlock, but he did not specify what these reforms are.

"Moves in the house also to affect changes in our political system are not exactly bereft of merit or urgency either, in order to finally rid the government of gridlocks and destructive redundancies that have mired our politics in a culture of adversity and deceit," Claudio said.

He confirmed that President Arroyo attended the recent birthday party of Rep. Martin Romualdez where the resolution calling for a Constituent Assembly was circulated for signature.

But Claudio said Arroyo did not attend the party in order to push for charter change.

"The President was in the house of Martin Romualdez not for any so-called launching of cha-cha in the House but to join other congressmen in celebrating Martin's birthday," he said.

He also claimed that Arroyo is not behind the moves of her political party, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI), to push for charter change.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila said businessmen have expressed their support for charter change that will reform the economy.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the ultimate decision rests with the people who will choose in a plebiscite whether to say yes or no to the constitutional amendments.

Ermita said charter change has not been discussed in the Cabinet.

President Arroyo is set to leave for the Asia Pacific Economc Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting late Friday. -- report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News