Vice President Noli de Castro Thursday said he strongly rejects the passage of a resolution in the House of Representatives converting itself into a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

De Castro said he believes that the only possible mode to amend the Constitution is through a Constitutional Convention (Con-con).

“I have always been supportive of a Con-con and not Con-Ass,” De Castro said.

The move by allies of President Arroyo in the House has sparked fears of a term extension for Mrs. Arroyo, whose six-year term will end in June 2010.

De Castro said he also was not in favor of extending the term of incumbent officials, warning that such moves, along with a postponement of the 2010 elections, will "anger" the people.

“Our citizenry is preparing for the 2010 elections, and then you will postpone it and then you will tell them that you want a one-year extension, that’s a bit off, the people will get angry,” De Castro said.

Asked about the massive protests being staged by groups who are against Resolution 1109, De Castro said “Hindi natin pwedeng pigilan yan. Karapatan nila yan. Pakinggan na lang natin ang kanilang hinaing ( We cannot hold them back. That is their right. We should listen to them),” De Castro said.

De Castro said he was in favor of Charter change, but only if it would center on economic reforms. "Ang economic provisions yun ang importante (Economic provisions are what's important)," he said.

Also Thursday, former president and now opposition leader Joseph “Erap” Estrada vowed to lead mass actions if Congress pushes through with the planned Charter Change after converting itself as a constituent assembly.

“This government has not run out of surprises,” Estrada said.

“They (Arroyo Administration) surprised us when they ousted me from power in 2001. They surprised us when they cheated opposition candidates in 2004. And they have surprise for us come 2010,” the leader of the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) said.

Estrada said the objective of promoting Cha-cha by pro-Arroyo congressmen is clear – to allow President Arroyo to retain her position beyond the expiration of her term in 2010.

Estrada, who is still keeping his options open on whether to run or not in the May 2010 national polls, said the lawmakers should recognize the fact that the masa or common people are now looking forward for the holding of the electoral exercise next year.

He said that majority of the population want change and reforms in government and that they are banking on the May 2010 elections for a change of leadership, having perceived this government as tainted with scandals and corruption.

“Instead of focusing their efforts on more important issues like curbing unemployment, reversing poverty and addressing the economic crisis, they are bent on pushing the Cha-cha just to perpetuate themselves in power,” the former president stressed.

Meanwhile, senators Thursday agreed to defer taking any action on the controversial House Resolution 1109, saying they will just “wait and see” Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the senators, after a caucus, have decided not to take any action on the resolution because there is still no “justiciable controversy” that would warrant it to be questioned before the Supreme Court.

Aside from Enrile, senators in attendance were Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Gregorio Honasan, Richard Gordon, Panfilo Lacson and Benigno Aquino III.

“Kaming lahat ng mga senador ay nagkakaisa at pinag-uusapan namin ang resolusyon ng House of Representatives. Sapagkat ito ay napakaselan na isyu para sa ating bansa at hindi natin malaman kung saan pupunta iyan at kung saan dadalhin iyan,” Enrile told reporters in an interview.

He said a petition questioning the House resolution has already been filed at the SC by lawyer Oliver Lozano.

But Enrile said the upper chamber would be studying whether to file a motion to intervene, or file a separate case or not to participate at all.

“Sa ngayon, wala lang muna. Tsaka na,” Enrile said, adding that the Senate would prepare its legal studies when it decides to take action.

“Pag-aaralan namin kung sakaling kami ay sasali ay ipe-prepare namin ang legal studies at kung panahon na aaksyon ang Senado ay handa kami ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng Senado at karapatan ng bayan,” Enrile said.

Senator Manuel Roxas II, on the other hand, was pushing the Senate to intervene on Lozano’s petition questioning the House resolution to convene Congress to a constituent assembly or Con-ass.

Roxas said Lozano’s petition is weak and seems to be working for the benefit of Malacanang and therefore, the Senate should step in to ensure a stronger petition would be filed before the High Court.

Roxas recalled that the impeachment case Lozano had earlier filed against President Arroyo was junked was because it is half-baked and unconvincing.

“Palagay ko iyan ang dahilan kung bakit nag-file siya nito sa Korte Suprema, hindi para hadlangan itong Con-Ass na ito pero para lalong makatulong, para sa mabilis na panahon ay makarating na sa Korte Suprema at mahatulan na ito,” Roxas said.

Pimentel, meanwhile, said that it is evident that part of the administration’s blueprint to amend the Constitution is to insert a provision that will grant Mrs. Arroyo immunity from suits for official acts she made during her tenure.

He criticized Mrs. Arroyo saying she has deluded herself and her political allies into believing that it is still possible to install a parliamentary system of government where she can run for prime minister.

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See also:

• Con-ass illegal – Enrile
• Melo: Elections assured even with Cha-cha
• Palace allies push Con-ass approval