Rep. Ortega delivers the sponsorship speech of House Resolution 1109. He is also the chair of the committee on constitutional amendments.
Rep Zamora interpellation, asking why 200+ reps must be present. He asks why the measure is only a ‘resolution.’ How will this be ‘justiciable?’ Is this to see whether it will take only one house to change the constitution?
Zamora asks what happens if house passes this resolution? Rep Ortega responds “anything is possible.”
Zamora asks will Speaker Nograles call for a constituent assembly once the resolution passes? Ortega responds it is not for the committee chair to answer.
Zamora clarifies, it will only take a simple majority of the quorum, or 68 votes to amend the constitution.
6:37pm
In Rep. Zamora’s final comment he says, “I fear that we may be acting a little too cavalierly…a little too casually, in taking this first step toward amending the constitution of the Philippines.” He reiterates that a simple resolution, usually used to express condolences or congratulate individuals, is an “appropriate vehicle” to initiate such a serious process. A simple resolution – does not have the force of law.
6:49pm
In Rep. Golez’ interpellation, he claims HR 1109 was not properly sponsored. Can Rep Ortega quote the part of the committee report where 1109 was specifically sponsored? Without a response, Rep Golez emphasizes the resolution was not submitted “normally” to the committee on constitutional amendments. The resolution, he says, didn’t go through the benefit of discussion (in the committee level). “In fact there was no interpellation.”
Rep Ortega says “insignificant procedural matters” should not be an excuse to forgo debate on HR 1109. Golez retorts, “Congress is all about procedures.”He says the appropriate term, on how the resolution went through the legislative process, should be “bullet-train” not “railroad.”
7:10
Rep. Golez claims that the legal experts invited in the committee on constitutional amendments hearing (such as Prof. Mendoza, Dean Agabin, Prof. Sison, and Fr. Bernas) were mere “token” resource persons since their opinion, that the House and Senate vote separately on HR 1109,were not heeded. Rep. Ortega contests the use of the term “token.”
Finally Rep. Golez says the House’s records will reflect that “It took only a few seconds for the committee to deliberate…to act on 1109.”
7:54pm
Rep. Satur Ocampo now interpellating sponsor Rep. Barzaga. Ocampo’s line of questioning queries the need for changing the constitution.
Rep Ocampo expresses fear that there will be term extensions as a result of charter change. “This is a project of Malacanang,” he asserts.
“This is part of the Lakas-Kampi program…” Ocampo quotes Speaker Nograles in saying that this is part of Palaka’s program. “If this is a Palaka program, then it is a Gloria Macapagal Arroyo program,” he states.
Rep Teddy Casino says why are people outside not being allowed to come in? They’re being told the session is over.
Finally, a recess.
8:34pm
Liza Maza interpellation.
Rep Maza says no resource persons from marginalized sectors were invited in the committee hearings. The committee said this was because the representatives were already representing their districts.
Rep. Maza asked Barzaga to confirm that indeed the reason why these sectors were not included was because LGUs were already being consulted.
Rep Maza mentioned that according to an informal survey mentioned by Rep. Ortega earlier, majority of members of the house are in favor of charter change.
Questioning the extensiveness of consultations held by members of the House, Maza cites the record that only 66 congressional districts conducted consultations (not quite 1/3 of total). Also only 22 out 31 committee members submitted their consultation reports. Rep Maza doubts that representatives know what their constituents want!
HR 1109 has 171 signatories.
Rep. Maza asks why there is a rush to pass HR 1109? “Will the world disappear tomorrow?”
9:00pm
Rep Guingona now interpellating. The aim of this reso is “for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to remain in power indefinitely.” The resolution conditions were made with no intent to comply with them…to mislead people.
Rep Guingona is being told to shorten his questioning!
Rep Guingona says GMA has destroyed many institutions of the Philippine government. He ends his interpellation by saying “Now Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is poised to destroy the very heart of our republican system…our democracy…Have we no shame? Let us stop this farce immediately.”
Rep Dilangalen moves to close period of debate. Now calling for a vote!!!!
Rep. Custodio insists there hasn’t been enough consultations. She insists the sectors represented by Cibac and Akbayan have not been heard. “I believe in the rule of the majority…this is tyranny,” Custodio closes.
Rep. Baraquel manifests her objection to closing period of debate. She asks why Carp-er has been set aside in favor of HR 1109.
On point of order, Rep Colmenares says rules says motion to call for a vote is premature. Rep Colmenares pleads there be more consultations.
9:24pm
In manifesting his objection to the motion to close period of debate, Rep Walden Bello “respect rules of fair play.” Allow minority and majority to articulate their views! “Allow us to speak.”
Rep. Golez asks that the period of debate be allowed to continue.
Rep. Datumanong quickly calls for a vote to close period of debate. A resounding AYE is heard in the session hall.
9:59pm
After the brief suspension of the session…
Move to adopt HR 1109 called. Teddy Casino objected. Casino again questions the process by which the resolution was passed by the committee. Casino reiterates, this resolution opens the whole constitution to amendments. Claims the main agenda is for GMA to remain in power.
Rep. from Nueva Vizcaya cites rule that there should be a speech against the measure. So motion to call closing period of debates is out of order. “This is the worst congress in the annals of Philippine history,” he concludes.
Rep Rufus Rodriguez reiterates that constitutional experts have said that there can be no way that only one house can amend the constitution.
More opposition reps are being allowed to manifest their objection.
10:22pm
Rep. Mariano asks, what will happen to HR 737 after HR1109 is passed? After this resolution is passed, is Congress now a parliament?
Rep Bello sasy “Was it right that we allowed the leadership to stampede us into this vote?”
Rep. Colmenares, also in manifesting his objection wonders hat kind of constitution will this congress fashion if there were no deliberations in the committee level and in the plenary. “When we vote for HR 1109, we are voting for President Arroyo to stay indefinitely.”
Rep. from Masbate: How can we push for allowing foreign-ownership of agri and non-agri lands as well as Carp-er?
10:52pm
Minority leader Rep. Zamora takes to the floor. “Can one house of a two-house legislature amend the constitution regardless of the number of people participating?”
Another Rep says there is no assurance that a gentleman’s agreement has been reached vis-à-vis HR 1109. Motives should not be suspect.
Rep Ocampo notes more and more reps trickled in just as call for vote was about to be made. did they receive “marching orders?”
Reps. De Venecia and Ilagan manifest their objection.
Rep Joson asks “What is happening to this country? What is happening to this Congress?” He also notes that “there are very few dissenting voices here…we can only hear the croaking chorus of frogs.”
Rep Delmar presiding notes 11 members have been allowed to speak in objection. 2 more will be allowed to speak, but only for 2.5 minutes.
Rep Palatino “What we’re about to do is worse than the Hayden Kho scandal…What we’re about to do could be described as the Conass or Congress scandal.”
After one other representative says his piece, the House votes in favor of adopting HR1109.
11:39pm
(photo credit: Photo credit: Gilbert Engay, MRS-PRIB / 02 June 2009 05:00:12 PM)
Popularity: 3% [?]
Malnourished, need not have been blogged so yet for its prematurity.
this is why it’s called a live blog..
Let’s thank our lucky stars someone is able to live blog the sessions as it’s happening, such is the advantages of new media.. if not, then stick to ABS CBN on tv where they will be talking about Hayden Kho..
Don’t even worry Nick as I am right here where the action is taking place.
Seems like the Hayden Kho videos were tossed as bones for the public to chew on.
Meanwhle, Cha-Cha is very much alive – IT FIGURES!
Keep going with the live blog.
Also, please include date/time stamps before each sentence.
It is a grave mistake to demean the House Membership as a whole – maraming magagaling dito.
I am right here in Congress listening to the proceedings.
Primer:
If you are listening to the proceedings now – can you do something like this? – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayhill-fowler/hurra-barack-obama-ist-da_b_114704.html
Just follow the form.
Damn!!! Wish caffeinesparks were on Friendfeed!!!!!!!
Primer, this is good that you are also at Congress, hopefully you can give us some insights and observations, on what could be a historic night.. good or bad..
Nick:
How about adding a live blogging plug in?
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/live-blogging/
In fairness, it is Rep. Golez who is ‘controlling’ here in this very proceedings except that indeed Rep. Zamora is the Minority Floor Leader.
These lapdogs in HoR are courting trouble…
caffeinesparks is on twitter…
Come on spark, nothing we can do about it now. Just watch a movie or something or go for the 2 girls… and show it around. Maybe they won’t be too shocked with the Hayden Kho videos.
Rep. Golez just said now that Congress is all about procedures and in fact questions the unprecedented manner the committee report was sent back to the committee. And he considers it an insult.
Primer:
Or this format works too – http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-9960064-37.html
as Sparks just tweeted:
Rep Golez says HR 1109 did not undergo benefit of discussion in committee level. “In fact there was no interpellation”
YOu can also follow Sparks at http://twitter.com/caffeinesparks
Rep. Golez rebuts the claim that a sponsorhip speech has been rendered over the last committe hearing from the sponsor. Rather he says, it was in fact a desponsorship, if a new term may be coined.
Rep. Golez goes to refer to the whole thing as a bullet train – when sponsorship immediately follows approval of the bill on well, the same stroke (words to that effect). Pardon me, I’m not a stenographer.
Mr. Primer,
You seem to have not been wary of the dynamics of political engagement. Political engagement should be attuned to the very moment it is happening. I commend caffeinesparks for providing information which allow the net-accessing people to know what is happening and therefore hopefully influence the spheres of dissent which cannot do so. A terror is looming in our country and you, who should be telling us good ideas for engagement right there in the venue, is sitting complacently!
I opt to just listen and maybe react later after the full blown blog would have been posted. Thanks.
thank Primer.. hopefully, you can provide some observations as the night goes along too.. it’s interesting that we could be witnessing a night that could be the start of an actual change of our 1987 constitution, and what could also be other things in the works..
Let’s keep our eyes and ear open..
Why don’t you ask a tv station to record the whole proceedings azure as part of its ‘social role’? The papers will come out tomorrow and on TV some footages will be broadcast tonight. Plus of course, the importance of caffeine’s work as she may post it anytime now.
ANC is supposed to be covering it live now, not sure though.
Golez insists that Congress is a bicameral congress.
Ortega hates the term tag of him railroading the resolution with him almost shouting.
Golez invokes reference to chronological facts – like a true-blue graduate of US Naval Academy at Annapolis.
Golez goes by the records to state that not a single member of the minority has spoken against the resolution for more than 4 minutes. In fact, it escapes his recollection if there was indeed one member who was given the same time privilege.
There are two diametrically opposed resolutions that are alive and from there, Golez points that – “we don’t know what will happen”.
Ortega says ‘Prof. Sison is entitled to his own opinion’ after Golez has quoted from his materials.
Quoting from Justice Mendoza, Golez goes to stress – “there must be separate voting which is not reflected in 1109 which is misrepresented as one Chamber. Through and through, Golez skillfully run the ‘series of contradictions’ suffered by 1109.
Golez is the man of the hour in this event unfolding citing all the statements made by the legal experts before the Plenary and records will soon show what transpired in the proceedings tonight. Hope FV requests itself a copy for posterity.
indeed.. indeed.. hope we can get that copy too..
Golez calls this a trigger mechanism to create jusiticiable ground for the Supreme Court to decide on the controversy.
Ortega butts in to say, “some agree with Bernas, some don’t”.
As stressed, the two houses should vote separately – Bernas, Agabin, Sison, Mendoza – all in agreement.
To the question of Golez, Ortega says no one is in favor of the resolution and the same is factual.
This refers to all the constitutionalists and legal experts so far invited by the Committee. Fact is, Golez says they were just there as token resource persons whose opinions were just taken for granted.
Ortega, rather arrogantly, accepts this as a fact of life.
Golez exhorts that they deal with the resolution in a more circumspect manner and not to ‘deliberate’ on it in a matter of few minutes. In fact, he is not even comfortable with the use of the word ‘deliberate’ precisely because it is not in the way it is commonly undertaken.
Satur’s turn asking for the compelling need that will justify calling for a Constituent Assembly. He believes the people are entitled to know from the distinguished sponsors why this need to change the Constitution.
The pro 1109 sponsor points factual representations of numerous resolutions filed in this Congress as well as past Congresses for a joint resolution of House of Representatives and Senate to amend the Constitution.
But this position is against the principle of the two Chambers voting separately.
Friends:
By your leave because I have to leave now.
Nice of you to do that, Primer. Much of it was available on ANC, but it’s good to have some of it on paper.
That said, your coverage was kind of one-sided. But no real harm done, as Ortega basically stuck with the position that various people have various opinions and that’s their right. Basic defense.
I thought the openly declared goal IS to create a “justiciable” event? Take it to the SC and let them rule with finality about how a ConAss can be voted on. I don’t see the problem with that. If the SC says the Senators are right (vote seperately), then the issue is settled.
ANC has stopped covering live btw. They are giving Rufus Rodriguez a chance to sell his side. Wonder if they will give a proponent any airtime…..
Nope. Back to the live show.
Lisa Maza asks point blank: If the house and SC pass this resolution, does that mean that any time after July ’09 and before 2010 a ConAss may take seat?
In response, the proponent reminds all that the SC process takes a long time. He stresses that the goal is to force a final judgement so that when the 15th Congress convenes, it will have the answer one way or the other.
Ricky and RG Cruz cut in. The vote is expected at 11pm, they say. They think the majority is making sure to give ample time to the oppositors, but — in the end — the majority probably has the votes.
Nothing new here, really. Just a public display.
Ricky: “History might be made tonight.”
Huh? If a resolution — a resolution — passes, that’s “history”???
“Changing the Constitution is for one reason alone — For GMA to stay in power indefinitely!” roars Guingona. Many accusations. Nothing new.
The majority asks for the question and not for speeches. Hilarity ensues. Confusion and arguments over “points of order” vs “manifestations” vs “parliamentary inquiry”…..
This “August Body” is starting to look like the Senate…..
live blogs are great only if the blog provides a new subject. it seems like , the subject is very old that this country cannot move forward. so what’s the big deal?
well, charter change is an issue that will haunt us.
i agree that the charter needs to be changed.
the devil is in the details of what needs to be changed.
and what the mechanism is.
given that every president has only one term, if our response to charter change is always to suspect term extensions – nothing will happen.
we need to bite the bullet and redefine how the charter should be changed, while providing safeguards to protect the constitution from would-be despots and tyrants.
*well
crap – that’s the thing without having an editing function with the comment system – I really liked the IntenseDebate feature that allows editing of my comments.
that’s just it Bong HR 1109 will free up the entire constitution for amendment.. and that includes anything and everything under the sun.. I’m sure you know who that favors..
that’s just it Bong HR 1109 will free up the entire constitution for amendment.
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.
If people are apathetic and parochial or act as subjects – it will favor special interests.
If people are participatory – we have an opportunity to correct everything that is wrong in the 1987 Constitution – given that it was hurriedly cobbled after EDSA.
Bong, again, that’s just it.. with this mode, we, the people do not have a say… hell, even the minority in congress do not have a say.. they just closed the debate.. and are going up for vote immediately..
The problem Bong is that in the current political climate, we must not kid ourselves.. the only agenda is for Gloria to stay on top..
there cannot be a discussion on this without factoring in Gloria, plain and simple.
1109 has just been shoved down our throats.. where were the safeguards? of course, the fat lady has not sung, but to discuss safeguards, when they have just gone through a few of these, and have successfully just passed it, it’s a cause for alarm Bong. Not letting the representatives of the people to properly debate on this, it’s a cause for alarm.
So, to be lax, is beyond me. It’s kinda hard to talk safegaurds when a few have just been passed through..
Nick:
If the issue becomes “justiciable” – an event will happen that triggers a review on the constitutionality on the manner being proposed and whether such is consistent with the application.
a two-pronged parallel campaign can be undertaken
1 – recall the congressmen
2 – petition the SC for review
And if things don’t work out – EDSA 4 might very well be in the offing.
You will have to keep your emotions in check, as rhetoric will make you lose objectivity.
It’s only old if The Charter has actually changed.. we are at the precipice of a tyrannical change.. if we cannot open our eyes to the current machinations to slaughter our constitution, then we deserve what we will get if this is allowed to proceed..
What’s the big deal?
Democracy, or the lack of it, is the big deal.
I agree that the manner of changing the constitution is not the ideal way and appears lopsided.
I disagree that there is no need to change the constitution.
I did not say there’s no need to change anything in the constitution..
Those “in the know” should exert effort to propagandize and let the message filter through the grassroots.
Then, people have to push back – agitate, arouse, organize, mobilize.
Nick:
I am not saying that your position is “there’s no need to change anything in the constitution.”.
For me, the deal is – if we keep on raising the term extension bogeyman – the constitution will never be amended.
However, given this current manner – the people have a recourse if they believe that the legislators shouldn’t get away with crap –
Let the bell ring out over the land – START RECALL PETITIONS TO HAVE ALL THESE CONGRESSMEN REPLACED.
Dream big, aim high, and hit the mark.
noted Bong.. thank you
nick, what else is in your ‘crystal ball’? a flawed constitution has to be corrected and all constitutional means possible should be explored to do it. let the proper body determines, with finality, what is constitutional or not, not just based on the words of golez, maza, zamora, etc., and some people here who oppose the very idea itself. this politics of fear should not be allowed to hamstrung the whole nation. if the senate does not want cha-cha to happen for fear of losing its hold on power, or for fear that the incumbent president may keep herself in power, does that mean that the constitution can never be changed or amended at all, at any time, under any circumstances?
so much has been said and written about the defects of the current constitution that need to be corrected on an urgent basis. thoughtful and unbiased minds are fully cognizant of them, and i believe there’s no need to rehash them here.
Took me a while, but I compiled caffeinesparks’ tweets into a chronologically-ordered list. Blow-by-blow HR 1109 action captured!
“so much has been said and written on the defects of the constitution that need to be corrected on an urgent basis.”
Besides the awkward use of ‘to be corrected on an urgent basis”, your opinion is WRONG. Why don’t you rather lay your proof (ano ba tong so much has been said and written?).
if con-as would come its way and hr 1109 would be passed…
then we loose ‘our voices’ ‘our rights’…
people are not stupid… especially not us!!!…
fraud..corruption..injustices and soo much more are evident in our country for a very long time already…
we’ve lost so much in this “administration”… and its time to fight back…
Macapagal-Arroyo has reached her limits and so we do…
“good change” will never happen if these same people rule over us continuously…
coz the very main fact that ‘corrupt people are ruling all over our country’ and abusing their power to the extent… they’re only dragging the Filipino mass and our country down with them in hell!!!