House to pass resolution on separate voting in Con-ass

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the new resolution “expressing the sentiment of the House” would specify that the voting during Con-ass would be done separately by both Chambers.(File photo: Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez/Facebook)

MANILA — House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. on Monday said the adopted resolution seeking to convene Congress into a constituent assembly (Con-ass) will be withdrawn and will be replaced with a new resolution specifying separate voting on Charter change.

In an interview with reporters, Andaya said they will withdraw House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) No. 9 during the plenary session either on Monday or Tuesday.

He said the new resolution “expressing the sentiment of the House” would specify that the voting during Con-ass would be done separately by both Chambers.

He added that the new resolution would be referred to the House committee on rules and would no longer undergo the House committee on constitutional amendments.

“There would be withdrawal (of the previous resolution). (The new one is) just a resolution expressing the sentiment of the House which we would refer to the rules committee and then present it to the plenary,” Andaya said.

On Sunday, House constitutional amendments committee chairman Vicente Veloso said Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered his panel to revise HCR 9 to specify that both Houses would be voting separately.

Arroyo has already agreed to separate voting for Charter change to “move forward” and put an end to the voting “stalemate” between the two chambers.

Several senators have insisted on separate voting on constitutional amendments as joint voting would drown out their votes against more than 200 votes of the lower chamber.

Meanwhile, Arroyo’s ousted predecessor, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, said the House can convene into a Con-ass even without the Senate.