Objections are heard — to 1109 and to the voting

There is a motion to adopt House Resolution 1109. Meanwhile, those who object — to the voting and to 1109 — are given five minutes to voice out their objections.

Period of debate and interpellation…move that we adopt.

Objection…there being an objection, the house will vote.

Casino explains objection: we will be voting on measure that was not properly sponsored in committee, did not go through proper interpellation and debate, not opened for amendments in committee, voted down in may 19 when committee voted on measure to approve. Also rejected by committee on rules on june1 for failure to comply with procedural requirements. With all these problems, bakit pinagpipilitan na ito ang unahin? We have house reso 737, napakalinis ng pagkapunta dito sa plenaryo. Bakit nagiba ang ihip ng hangin. sa Ilalim ng 1109, ibubukas ang buong konstitusyon…dito papasok ang agenda ng malacanang na patagalin sa pwesto si arroyo, na ipataw ang mas marahas na pamumuno dito sa ating bansa. We are putting democracy in danger. Binubukas natin sa lahat ng klaseng manipulasyon ang ating konstitusyon.

Padilla: register my objection.

Speaker: if he wish to explain his vote he has five minutes.

Padilla: tonight we witness the tyranny of majority. Blatant disregard of parliamentary rules and procedures. We twisted the interpretation of rules of house. Based on rules and parliamentary practice…when you interpellate….just verifying some points. Today we twisted interpretation. There was no speech against the measure. When the gentleman from maguindanao filed motion and body took cognizance of it…simple tyranny of majority. When I was rising for parliamentary inquiry, there was no voting yet. It is only when there is actual voting that proceedings cannot be interrupted. So that may I say, this is the worst congress in the annals of Philippine history.

Rufus Rodriguez: I object to committee report…embodying house reso 1109 on substantive and procedural grounds. It violates the constitution…violates our own rules in house of reps. It is clear that this resolution would wish to convene a constituent assembly without involving the senate. History and precedence would show…concurrent resolution, senate and house in joint session. In 1967, again in all these resolutions, it had to be a joint resolution. …all the experts on consti law…we are a bicameral congress…

Mariano: pag ipinasa ba ito parliament na ba tayo? Mababawasan na ba ang gutom? Maaangat ang kababayan ng marami sa ating mga mamamayan? Ang mga manggagawa natin, magkakaroon ba ng permanenteng trabaho?isa itong malaki na namang panlilinlang at panlalansi…

Bello: we are going through a dramatic moment of our democracy. Never felt so much importance of consti, democracy and very principle of democracy known as rights of minority than tonight. The will of consti, rule of people, rule of law, rights of minority are precisely what’s at stake in debates tonight…not only cost in terms of public opinion…or votes…but out of principle. Right now they are probably thinking it was not the right thing to do. In a democracy we have a very fine balance between the executive, legislative, and judiciary. This fine balance has evolved through international evolution of democracy that we as a people have been fortunate to be part of. We cannot tamper with this fine balance. We should be grateful we have internalized this…I hope my colleagues can still reverse this process. The legislative power is self destructing before our eyes. What is happening that we’re allowing this to happen before our eyes. The colonization of legislative power by the executive. The move towards total executive rule. We in the minority might have lost this vote but you have lost the battle for public opinion.

Colmenares: I object to the approval of 1109 on the basis…that the very proceeding to create a body to amend the constitution violates the Constitution….may nag discuss ba kung ano ang 1109? Walang sponsorship speech. Walang debate. Nang in-approve ito Kahapon may pangako na doon na lang pagdebatehan sa plenary pero dito sa plenary wala ring debateng substantial na nangyari. It will be a vote of the house alone. May provision sa constitution similar to this, the amnesty provision. Parehong pareho sa amendment provision. Ano ang interpretation nila, ang amnesty concurred by house and senate nang hiwalay in recognition of the bicameral nature of congress. Pero dito ang interpretation natin pwedeng magkaroon ng proposal to amend the consti without the senate. Hindi man lang natin konsultahin ang karamihang myembro ng congress…we are calling under 1109 for congress to convene but despite calling for congress to convene, ang laman lang ay resolution para ipasa ng kongreso. Anong klaseng konstitusyon ang gagawin ng kongresong itong hindi man lang nag debate.
1109 never promised to keep the provision saying the president cannot run again. The moment we vote for 1109 we are voting for the extension of president arroyo’s term.