MANILA -- More senators are open to discussing the idea of amending the Constitution's economic provisions, provided that that will be made via constituent assembly, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said Friday.

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“Basta pag ginalaw lang, if we are going to tinker yung economic provisions, baka sakaling pumayag ako. But other than, if you tinker with political provisions, eh out na ko diyan," Estrada said.

Asked if there will be more than five senators supporting Charter change via con-ass, Estrada said: “I think so.”

Estrada in previous interviews expressed his opposition to Charter change saying that this is not the right time to do it.

This time, however, the senator said there's a need to amend the Constitution given the many obsolete provisions, specifically those related to investments.

Lawmakers can hire ”legal luminaries” so they can effectively scrutinize the Constitution even if they are not lawyers, Estrada said.

ROBIN’S CON-CON PUBLIC HEARING WITH CONGRESSMEN

On Monday, Sen. Robin Padilla will hold a constitutional convention hearing with congressmen, so senators opposed to it can raise their questions.

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Padilla, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, said he also wants to ensure that congressmen will be given the platform to speak out their ideas as he appealed to his fellow senators to participate, and give him the chance to present his cha-cha report before the plenary.

Padilla said, he is expecting his colleagues to read his would-be committee report and sign it, not necessarily to agree on it, but to support its intention to be heard on the floor.

TWO CHA-CHA COMMITTEE REPORTS

The senator said he will divide his reports into two: 1) carrying his and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s position that economic provisions should be amended via Con-Ass, and; 2) the Con-Con recommendation of congressmen.

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In the event that cha-cha succeeds in Congress, what Padilla plans to push next are the bills that seek to reimpose the death penalty and the changing of the form of government.

GATHER PDP-LABAN SUPPORT

Padilla sits as the Executive Vice President of the PDP-Laban-Duterte faction which incidentally, will have a meeting on March 21.

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Given his party position, the senator admits that he is banking on the idea that his partymates will automatically support his Cha-cha advocacy since their platform include federalism.

“Kung ako mismo sa partido kailangan pa akong manligaw ng kapartido ko malabo yata yan. Siguro ang aking opinion ay ang kapartido ko dapat lagi kong kasama lalo sa usaping cha-cha,” he said.

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