Senator Christopher “Bong” Go thumbed down the proposal for the Senate and the House of Representatives to vote jointly to amend the 1987 Constitution.
The House has been pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha) through a constitutional assembly. Under that mode, the two chambers of Congress will convene into a constituent assembly and will not vote separately.
In a media interview, Go said there would no longer be checks and balances between the 24-member Senate and the House with more than 300 members.
“This is democracy, dapat meron tayong [check and balance system] sa gobyerno. Voting jointly mawawalan na ng saysay ang Senado . Baliwala na po kami (Senate),” he told local reporters.
“Protect the Constitution. Protect the will of the people. Hindi ako pabor,” Go added.
The senator was in Iloilo City on Sunday, Jan. 28, to attend the highlight of the Dinagyang Festival, one of the biggest and grandest festivals in the country.
Go, who serves as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also provided assistance to 53 victims of Typhoon Egay from the city and the towns of Pavia and Zarraga in Iloilo province.
He then inspected the Super Health Center being built in Pavia together with Iloilo Second District Representative Mike Gorriceta, Mayor Luigi Gorriceta, Vice Mayor Edsel Gerochi and other local officials.
“Unang-una, ‘wag ho kayong magpasalamat sa amin. Trabaho namin ang magserbisyo sa inyo. Kami po ang dapat magpasalamat dahil binigyan n’yo po kami ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo,” he said in a radio interview.IMT
