Taking illegal short-cuts again
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Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives may have all agreed, in principle, to amend the 1987 Charter focused solely on economic provisions, and through a legislative process that would have a bicameral body to fashion out the amendments.
That agreement, however, does not mean the mode they plan to adopt by way of amending the Constitution, is legal and constitutional, because in essence, they are introducing a mode of amending the Charter that is not prescribed by the basic law, especially since the Charter states very clearly that there are only two ways by which Congress can amend it, and introducing another mode not prescribed in the Charter is not only amending provisions in the Constitution illegally and unconstitutionally but also making a mockery of the rule of law and throwing aside Charter provisions in exchange of an illegal shortcut.
Sen. Franklin Drilon, who claims ownership of this mode to do away with the vague constitutional provision requiring joint voting, says amending the Charter through this legislative means requiring each of the chambers to come up with their amendments after which the bicameral commission is to take over, refine the two bills, approve the bill as one, and have this enacted into law, is being done in the American Congress..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20111001com1.html
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