Since President Rodrigo Duterte has opted to pursue Charter Change via a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass), House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez should now initiate the creation of the Constitutional Commission (Con-Com) he has proposed as technical and advisory body to help Congress.
Speaker Alvarez’s idea is indeed sound. He has already mentioned several names of people with impeccable reputation, integrity and competence to constitute the Con-Com, among whom are former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, Dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and other prominent names.
President Duterte will surely not go wrong if he also taps such personalities like retired Supreme Court Justices Leonardo Quisumbing, Josue Bellosillo, Dr. Allen Salas Quimpo, Dean Amado Valdez, former Senators Rene Espina and Heherson Alvarez, Atty. Estelito Mendoza, former Senator Ed Angara, and former Speaker Jose de Venecia.
With retired CJ Puno as Con-Com chair, we can expect a truly sound, responsive and dependable Constitution.
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Despite Vice President Leni Robredo’s laments and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Soc Villegas’ prayers for humanity to speak out on the spate of killings related to the war on illegal drugs, 92% of Filipinos still support President Duterte’s campaign.
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Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has filed House Resolution 143 in Congress seeking to ban US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from the Philippines after the latter tagged the Philippines as a likely “terrorist state” and potential recruitment pool for “Islamic terror” groups. He warned against Filipino migrants to the US.
Salceda said Trump’s derogatory remarks have shamed Filipinos, both Christians and Muslims. Trump surely deserves the reaction. No wonder many Republicans now support Democrat bet Hilary Clinton.
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In its recent general membership assembly in Kalibo, attended by key Aklan leaders and veteran journalists led by Odon Bandiola, the The Aklan Press Club, Inc. has vowed to stand up and deal with vital issues confronting Aklan and the nation – charter change, media killings, federalism, human rights, peace initiatives, freedom of information, illegal drugs, the West Philippine Sea dispute and others including the contentious 2-kilometer bridge connecting Boracay Island and mainland Panay. It also adopted resolutions reaffirming its role as vigilant guardian of press freedom, an educative outpost, and proactive partner of government in promoting public welfare.
It’s newly-elected officers, with Dr. Allen Salas Quimpo as APCI Advisory Council chairman, will be inducted on August 27, 2016. (Johnny Dayang)