Petilla said that it was just one of the four recommendations submitted by the Consultative Assembly for Charter Change to President Arroyo, who, in turn, will submit it to Congress.

"The representatives will still go back to their constituents to listen to their opinions. It is the people then who will eventually speak on this issue. The No-election proposal is only one of the several recommendations on the table. It must not be flashed down the drain prematurely because this would be unfair to its proponents," she commented.

President Arroyo, in her July 25 State of the Nation (SONA) address declared that the time is ripe for the Charter change debate. True to her word, the President created the 55-member Consultative Commission for Charter Change.

The output of the Consultative Commision (ConCom) are mere recommendations and the House would make the final proposed amendments and it would still be the people who will ratify them.

Earlier, ConCom Chairman Jose Abueva said that the collective decision of the Commission is for the good of the nation.

The recommendations are a shift from presidential to parliamentary government, the shift to federal structure of the republic, the liberalization of economic policies and the scrapping of the 2007 elections for the transition of government system.

Just as Chairman Abueva said, Petilla opined that those who don’t agree with ConCom’s proposals must come up with alternatives rather than make unfair and sweeping criticisms.

The congresswoman, in a media interaction at the Leyte Park Hotel, requested the members of the media to help enlighten the people on the issue so that they will be able to discuss and form their opinions and judge the issue after it has gone through the proper process.