Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Former Supreme Court (SC) magistrate Antonio Carpio. Senate PRIB and ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — Former Supreme Court (SC) magistrate Antonio Carpio on Friday said he is in favor of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri's proposal in approving economic amendments in the Constitution.

On Thursday, Zubiri said once the committee report on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks economic amendments in the Charter, is signed, the chamber would sit as a "Senate Assembly" to discuss and approve the proposal.

According to Carpio, that was the exact "formula" of the late Fr. Joaquin Bernas, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution. 

"The Senate will vote separately, ¾ vote to pass the resolution, tsaka 'yung House will meet separately to pass the resolution by ¾ votes. Pag may conflict sa resolution nila, mag-mi-meet sila, parang bicam, then pag nag-agree na sila, the Senate and House will approve again by ¾ vote," Carpio told Teleradyo Serbisyo.

"Ito yung formula na Fr. Bernas at sang-ayon ako dyan," he added.

Carpio said Zubiri's proposal would "resolve the deadlock" between the lawmakers.

"Kasi ngayon, ayaw mag-meet ng Senate with the House, physically. This is the solution. This will resolve the issue," Carpio said.

If the House refuses to concede and insists on "voting jointly" in amending the Charter, Carpio said "any member of Congress or any tax payer can now go to SC to raise the question." 

"Supreme Court ang dapat na arbiter dito," he said.

What does Zubiri's charter change resolution seek to amend?

The Senate is currently deliberating on Zubiri's Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks economic amendments in the Charter.

Carpio earlier said there are ways to boost the economy without touching the Constitution, saying present investment laws already make the Philippine economy liberalized.

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