Chinese chamber, PCCI say they’re for Cha-cha

TWO major business groups yesterday said they support efforts to amend the Constitution despite mounting opposition to the latest House initiative to push changes without the Senate before the 2010 elections.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman emeritus Donald Dee said his group supported Charter change as long as the amendments were limited to removing the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions.

The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. also expressed its support of Charter change at yesterday’s celebration of Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day, which was attended by President Arroyo.

“The Filipino Chinese community supports the move to amend the Constitution to ensure the progress of our community,” federation president Alfonso Uy said.

In Makati, about 3,000 demonstrators led by militants, the political opposition and church groups, gathered on Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas to protest the latest House move, saying it was a ploy to keep Mrs. Arroyo in power.

Dee said the country must revise the Charter’s economic provisions to encourage more investors, but he cautioned lawmakers against inserting other amendments that might divide the people.

“The PCCI position is very clear. We need economic changes so we can have a sustainable economy,” Dee said.

“That is what we are supporting. Beyond that, we cannot take a position because that will be very divisive.”

But the House move to convene its members as a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution without Senate participation has threatened to divide the coalition of parties supporting the administration.

The Nationalist People’s Coalition, Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party said they would abandon their alliance with the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD to deprive Speaker Prospero Nograles of the three-fourths vote needed to amend the Constitution.

At the Ayes and Nayes Forum yesterday, Rizal Rep. and NPC secretary general John Michael Duavit, Nacionalista spokesman Gilbert Remulla, and Muntilupa Rep. and LP vice president for Luzon Rufino Biazon said their respective parties would break with the ruling majority if a constituent assembly was convened.

Duavit, Remulla and Biazon said their parties opposed efforts to amend the Constitution before the 2010 elections.

But the President’s allies in the House blamed presidential hopefuls for fanning anti-Aharter change amendments.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he would call for a dialog with administration allies in the merged Lakas-Kampi Christian-Muslim Democrats over the recent approval of House Resolution 1109, which is said to empower Congress to convene itself into a constituent assembly.

Ermita, who repeated the Palace stand that it would not interfere in a congressional matter, said he would call the meeting in his capacity as the newly appointed interim president of Lakas-Kampi CMD.

“It is our position that the House resolution is a matter internal to another branch of government,” he said.

In Makati, police said they expected the anti-Charter change crowd to swell as the rally moved into the evening.

Bayan said it expected up to 20,000 people to show up to “express in no unmistakable terms their vehement opposition to Arroyo’s Charter change.”

“Let it be known that the people are united against moves to keep Arroyo in power,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes.

The head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, joined a parallel protest in his diocese of Jaro in Iloilo.

Former presidents Joseph Estrada and Cory Aquino sent word they would not attend the rally. Estrada was in the Middle East, while Aquino is ill with cancer.

Senators Mar Roxas, Benigno Aquino III, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, and Rep. Liza Maza marched with protesters on Ayala Avenue.

Earlier, about 30 youth groups staged a lightning rally at the Edsa Shrine in Mandaluyong City. Police dispersed them quickly when they failed to show a permit to assemble there. –Joyce Pangco Pañares with Christine F. Herrera, Roy Pelovello, Ferdinand Fabella, AP