Lacson wants senators who will take part in House con-ass expelled

Senator Panfilo Lacson said he wants senators who will take part in the House of Representatives’ proposed constituent assembly (con-ass) to be expelled from the Senate. (Photo: Senator Ping Lacson/Facebook)

Senator Panfilo Lacson said he wants senators who will take part in the House of Representatives’ proposed constituent assembly (con-ass) to be expelled from the Senate, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon revealed on Wednesday.

The minority leader said Lacson made the proposal during the senators’ meeting on Tuesday.

“There was a proposal yesterday by Senator Lacson to expel whoever that member is, there was no dissent. The point is that it manifests the sentiment, strong sentiments of the senators in so far as voting separately or jointly,” Drilon emphasized in an interview after the Senate joint committee hearing on the proposed Charter change (Cha-cha).

Lacson, for his part, confirmed this proposal, saying that he did suggest it yesterday after all senators agreed to close ranks as one body and that nobody objected.

“Nobody objected. Anyway, as of yesterday, wala namang may plano (no one has a plan),” Lacson said in a text message.

“I was just concerned that in case of that remote possibility na meron in the future, he or she cannot escape a misdeed that borders on treachery to our Senate as an institution. We can use our mechanism in the ethics committee to execute my proposal,” he added.

Drilon said the minority senators would come up to a decision whether to support the expulsion once the motion has been made.

However, the minority leader did not disclose any details when he was asked if he knew any senator who had interest in supporting the con-ass being requested by the House.

He further said that all senators agree to not rush cha-cha.

“There is a consensus na huwag madaliin ito, including the Senate President…Look, it is like the moment you bring the toothpaste out of the tube, hindi mo na pwede ibalik yan (you cannot bring it back),” Drilon said.

Lacson is the author of a resolution constituting the upper chamber as con-ass separate from the lower chamber for the purpose of cha-cha.

The lower house, on Tuesday, adopted the resolution that seeks to convene into a con-ass to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution for a switch to a federal form of government.

In amending the Constitution, Lacson noted three methods which are: 1) through the Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members, 2) through a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), and 3) through the direct proposal by the people known as “People’s initiative.”