Sotto “doubts” if Senate can tackle draft federal Constitution

October 9, 2018

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Upper House may not have time to "consider" the draft Constitution which the House of Representatives begun discussing the previous day.

"Because of time constraints I really doubt if we will be able to consider it," Sotto told reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday.

The House of Representatives Monday began plenary deliberations on the draft federal Charter, which amends the unitary form of government under the 1987 Constitution.

The draft, which calls for a presidential-bicameral-federal system, differs from the one submitted by the Consultative Commission (Con-Com).

The House’ draft Constitution says the president and vice president will be elected with each other to serve four-year terms with one re-election.

The proposal states that the first election under the proposed Constitution will be held on the second Monday of May 2022.

Sotto said in the next Congress, perhaps deliberating on the federal Charter can be done.

"We'll see. We'll have time to consider anything that will be forwarded to the Senate after this Congress," said Sotto. DMS