MANILA — Nineteen men and one woman currently make up President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Consultative Committee (Con-com), a body tasked to draft a new constitution to present to the Congress for approval.
On February 27, the Con-com voted to adopt a federal-presidential form of government as among the constitutional revisions.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque described the Con-com decision as “aligned” with Duterte’s vision.
Then on March 14, the panel adopted five proposed anti- dynasty
provisions that virtually wipes out political dynasties.
The Con-com is composed of veteran former government officials, lawyers, and academics, chaired by a former Chief Justice. But it still lacks five more members. Under Executive Order No. 10, the body is supposed to have 25 members.
Here is a look at 20 members of the committee:
Reynato S. Puno, 77
Puno, chairman of the Con-com, is a retired chief justice of the Supreme Court. Throughout his incumbency as associate justice and chief justice, he held several functions. He served as chairman of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House Electoral Tribunal; Chairman of the Second and Third Divisions of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court’s premier committee, Committee on Revision of the Rules of Court, which promulgated, among others, the writs of Amparo, Continuing Mandamus and Kalikasan. He has been honored with several awards including the Order of Lakandula from Malacanang, Gawad Quezon Sagisag, Press Freedom Award from the Philippine Association of Publishers.
Mr. Arthur Aguilar, 71
Aguilar is currently the president of the Negros Island Biomass Holdings, Inc., a pioneer in Utility Scale Solar Energy plants and in sugarcane biomass power generation. He served as general manager of the National Development Corporation, the investment arm of the government where he undertook a highly successful program of reengineering and selling government assets and enterprises; was member of the Department of Trade and Industry Executive Committee, and was general manager of Manila Times. He is also known for being co-author of the privatization law of the Philippines.
Prof. Eddie Alih, 64
Alih has been working as secretary to the governor for the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi since June 2017. He is also currently executive director of the Muslim Upliftment Foundation of Tawi-Tawi, Inc. Before working for the provincial government, he also served as chancellor of the Mindanao State University (MSU) Tawi-Tawi. Alih has received several awards including the Gintong Dangal ng Dakilang Mindanaonons, Global Development of Pilipino Writers; 2008 Ten Outstanding Public Servants in the ARMM, Civil Service Commission, Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual in Visayas and Mindanao, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, 61
Aquino is currently dean of the Graduate School of Law of San Beda University; vice president for Administration and Finance at Cagayan State University; consultant for advocacies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); and columnist for Manila Standard. He has also authored various books on law, philosophy, and religion.
Atty. Antonio Arellano, 67
Arellano is currently a member of the government’s negotiating panel for talks with the CPP/NPA/NDFP at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. He served as regional state prosecutor at the Department of Justice and was part-time law professor at Ateneo de Davao College of Law, University of Mindanao College of Law, Ateneo de Cagayan College of Law, among other colleges. He has received several awards including the Datu Bago Award, the highest award the Davao City government bestows on its constituents, in recognition of his exemplary and selfless contribution to the growth and development of Davao City, and the Magis Award, the highest distinction and honor that the College of Law of the Ateneo de Davao confers to its outstanding alumni.
Atty. Ali Balindong, 78
Balindong is the former representative of the 2nd District of Lanao del Sur in the 16th Congress, during which he also served as deputy speaker. He authored RA 10908 or the act mandating the integration of Filipino-Muslim and Indigenous People history, culture and identity in the study of Philippine History in both basic and higher education. He spearheaded and fought for the Bangsamoro Basic Law. He was observer at the 42nd GPH-MILF Round of Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January 2014; the 39th GPH-MILF Round of Exploratory Talks, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2013; and the formal signing of Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Government of the Philippines and MILF, Malaysia on August 2008. He’s a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
Dr. Virgilio Bautista, 71
Bautista was former director of the Regional Advisory Council of the Philippine National Police from 2012 to 2016, co-chairman of the Regional Development Council of the Cordillera Administrative Region from 2001 to 2013. He was also President of the University of Baguio from 1992 to 2004. He received an Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.
Atty. Ferdinand Bocobo, 65
For 38 years, Bocobo served as lieutenant general in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). While in the AFP, he held the following positions, among others: The Inspector General, AFP; Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5, AFP; Army Inspector General; Acting Commanding General, 4ID (AOR: Region 10, 11 & Caraga). He has also won several Distinguished Service Stars, Bronze Cross Medals, Military Merit Medals with 2nd Bronze Spearhead device, among others.
Atty. Reuben Canoy, 88
Canoy is most known for being former mayor of Cagayan de Oro City. He was also columnist for the Philippine Herald, founder of the Social Democratic Party of the Philippines and co-founder of Radio Mindanao Network. He used to be affiliated with the Nacionalista Party.
Atty. Victor De La Serna
De La Serna, who continues to practice law, has been a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention where he was also chairman of the Committee on Civil and Political Rights. He was former professor of President Rodrigo R. Duterte in San Beda College of Law.
Atty. Roan Libarios, 57
Libarios is currently National Executive Vice President of the People’s National Movement for Federalism (PENAMFED). He was former national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; former representative of the 2nd District of Agusan Del Norte; former vice governor of Agusan del Norte, and former member of the GRP Peace Panel.
Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura, 76
Nachura is retired associate justice of the Supreme Court where he sat as chairperson of the Committee on International Rules, Committee on Legal Education and Bar Matters, and the Sub-Committee on the Revision of Rules on Special Proceedings. He was also former Solicitor General, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, and Representative of the 2nd District of Samar, Undersecretary of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports, and Dean of the Arellano University College of Law.
Atty. Randolph Parcasio, 61
Parcasio is currently peace adviser in the ARMM Peace Process Office and chairperson of the Bangsamoro Lawyers Network. He was consultant for the ARMM Devolution, Environment, Natural Resources, Peace Process; consultant for the Political Economy Assessment for Education in ARMM, The Asia Foundation; executive secretary of the Regional Government of the ARMM. He is also known for his work relating to environment and natural resources including the drafting of the Responsible Mining Act for ARMM as consultant of Mines and Minerals, Natural Resources and Environment and his work on Public Policy which involved the drafting of the ARMM Administrative Code — now implemented by the ARMM Regional Government.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., 84
Pimentel, a former Senate President, is currently chairman of the Pimentel Institute for Leadership and Governance. He is most known for being the founder of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP). He has authored and/or co-sponsored several laws including the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160), The Cooperative Code (RA 6938), An Act Creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RA 6734) among others. He was former presidential adviser and chief negotiator with Muslim rebels; delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention representing Misamis Oriental; a recipient of several awards and author of several books.
Bienvenido Reyes, 70
Reyes is retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He is administered the oath of office of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on June 20, 2016. He was also former associate justice of the Court of Appeals where he received recognition for having achieved Zero Backlog in his dockets as of November 2010. He was also presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court in Malabon City; and media specialist of the Department of Public Information in Malacanang. He is also a recipient of various awards including the Dangal ng Lipi Award in 2014 and Huwarang Anak ng Bulacan in 2012 given by the Provincial Government of Bulacan.o a recipient of various awards including the Dangal ng Lipi Award in 2014 and Huwarang Anak ng Bulacan in 2012 given by the Provincial Government of Bulacan.
Atty. Rodolfo Robles, 74
Robles is currently president and chairman of the board of the Rhudnor Capital Corporation and Brentwood Realty & Dev’t Corp. He was dean of the Arellano Law School, being the youngest law dean in the Philippines then at 34. At 27, he represented the 1st District of Quezon Province to the 1971 Constitutional Convention where he served as chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Bodies thst initially studied Constitutional Offices or Courts such as the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Election, Commission on Audit, among others. He was also chosen as one of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees in law in 1974.
Edmund Tayao, 45
Tayao is currently an associate professor of political science at the University of Santo Tomas. He was consultant of the Office of the House Speaker, Congressional Planning and Budget Office, Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Anti-Poverty Commission, National Security Council, and Senate Committee on Local Governments, among others. He is also a recognized political analyst of Time, Wall Street Journal, the ABS-CBN News Channel and other media networks.
Julio Teehankee, 52
Teehankee is currently a full-time political science professor at the De La Salle University. He specializes in the comparative analysis of institutional politics and development in East and Southeast Asia with particular focus on elections, party politics, democratization and governance. He has also written and published papers on elections, party politics, and political dynasties in the Philippines and Japan. He appears regularly on media as a political analyst.
Atty. Susan Ubalde-Ordinario, 67
Ubalde-Ordinario, the only female member of the Con-com, is currently the president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Catanduanes Chamber. She was provincial convener for Catanduanes in the Federalismo Alyansa ng Bikol (formerly Bicol Autonomy Movement). She was also instrumental in the crafting of the proposed Bicol Autonomy Charter which was being pushed prior to the shift to a full federal advocacy through Charter Change. She has lectured and delivered talks about several socially and politically significant issues in various fora such as anti-sexual harassment, anti-violence against women and anti-child abuse.
Atty. Laurence Wacnang, 71
Wacnang is currently member of the John Hay Management Corporation Board of Directors; former representative of the Lone District of Kalinga and Provincial Governor of Kalinga-Apayao; and Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Vice Governor and Provincial Governor of Kalinga-Apayao.