Malacañang Tuesday saw nothing illegal with the supposed plan of administration allies in the House of Representatives to convene a Constituent Assembly to amend the Constitution after President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) next month.

Although he personally supports proposed constitutional reforms, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez said taking advantage of the joint session of Congress on July 27 to effect such change was “inappropriate.”

The former justice secretary acknowledged that there is no rule or law that prevents members of Congress from staying longer beyond the President’s annual address and tackle other matters, including Charter change.

“I don’t think it’s illegal. There is no rule that after the SONA, they must adjourn immediately. If they opt to stay and continue with the session, there is nothing that would stop them,” Gonzalez said. “But maybe it is inappropriate because that has never been done before,” he added.

Gonzalez said the common practice was that the Senate President and the House Speaker declare the joint session of Congress adjourned after the President’s speech, which lists down her achievements and plans before Congress resumes its session.

“As far as I am concerned, there is no rule or law that I know that would prevent that. But maybe it is inappropriate because that has never been done,” he said.

Asked if the President would stop her allies from pursuing Con-ass after SONA, Gonzalez said: “That is something which we cannot fathom at this point.”

He added that the President has not given instructions to her allies in Congress on the matter of Charter change. “I never heard about it from my son who is a congressman,” he said, referring to Iloilo Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr.

Taking a different take on the matter, Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said the joint session of Congress on July 27 is "specifically and exclusively" for the purpose of listening to the President's SONA as agreed upon by both chambers. "I don’t see how it can be used for any other purpose or agenda," he said.