Party-list bloc braces for Sona ‘surprises’

THE eight-member progressive party-list bloc in the House of Representatives does not believe the assurance of congressional allies of President Arroyo that they will not convene the House as a constituent assembly (con-ass)  minus the Senate after Mrs. Arroyo’s ninth and final State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 27.

Because of this, party-list Reps. Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño and Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna; Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod of Anakpawis; Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela; and Raymond Palatino of Kabataan will boycott the Sona and instead join ralliers outside Batasan.

They urged members of the House “to join the majority of the people who disapproved her almost nine-year misrule and her devious intentions to stay in power beyond June 2010.”

They said the President and her minions are “maneuvering to use any option to change the 1987 Constitution via House Resolution [HR] 1109, wherein they plan to convene the House of Representatives minus the Senate as a constituent assembly” after the ninth Sona on July 27.

They urged their peers “with a conscience” to withdraw their signatures from HR 1109 and all other measures that aim to amend or revise the Constitution.

The resolution seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly minus the Senate in order to amend the Constitution.