Press Release
June 3, 2009

Pia condemns 'political adventurism' of House'

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today said the Senate should not allow itself to become an accessory to the administration's plot to force Charter change after the House of Representatives railroaded the approval of House Resolution No.1109 Tuesday night, reportedly with the tacit approval of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself.

"Isa itong malaking panloloko. Hindi magpapagamit ang Senado sa iligal at makasarili nilang balakin sa Kamara. Sama-sama natin itong tutulan," Cayetano said. ("This is a grand deception. The Senate will not allow itself to be used to serve the illegal and selfish objectives of the House leadership. We should all oppose this.")

"I trust that the Senate will not dignify, or much less allow itself to become an instrument in the political adventurism of the House leadership. House Resolution No.1109 should be immediately archived once it is transmitted to the Senate," she added.

The lady solon also called on Pres. Arroyo to break her silence and disown her allies' actions in the House.

"Hindi sapat na manahimik si Ginang Arroyo at magkunwaring wala siyang papel dito. Magpakatotoo naman siya at matutong harapin ang kanyang responsibilidad sa taumbayan bilang Pangulo. Kung totoong walang kinalaman ang Malacanang, dapat si Gng. Arroyo mismo ang manguna sa pagkondena sa iligal na gawain ng kanyang mga kaalyado sa Kamara." ("Mrs. Arroyo should break her silence. She should tell the truth and learn to face her responsibilities to the people. If it's true that Malacanang had no hand in this, then Mrs. Arroyo should be the first to condemn the illegal acts of her allies in the House of Representatives.")

"I laud those in the minority, as well as independent members in the majority, who stood by their principles in opposing this move of the administration."

Cayetano is one the signatories of Resolution No. 811, which expresses the sense of the Senate that any attempt by the House of Representatives to amend the constitution without the approval by three-fourths of the Senate voting separately is unconstitutional.

Reacting to reports that the House leadership intends to convene the constituent assembly after Pres. Arroyo addresses the joint assembly of Congress in her final State of the Nation Address this July, the lady senator remarked: "If that indeed is their plan, then they can expect the senators to walk out and resist taking part in a sham assembly. That would be the biggest travesty in the history of democracy in our country. They should reconsider their plan, or face the wrath of our people and the harsh judgment of history."

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