Amid clamor and pressure from presidential allies and groups pushing Charter Change, Malacañang continued to claim that Cha-cha is not a priority of President Aquino  and that he stands firm on his position against efforts to alter a Constitution that was conceived du-ring the term of the current President’s mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.
At a press brief-ing, deputy presi-dential spokesman Abigail Valte said not even changes in the constitutional provisions touching on term limits for presidents would make Aquino reconsider his stand on amendments to the Constitution, adding that changes in the 1987 Philippine Constitution aren’t  included in the President’s priorities when Congress reconvenes on July 23.
“We have not received any instructions from the President as to any change in the position on Charter change. It’s not a priority,” Valte said.
Speculations however, have arisen that Aquino, in his portrayal as being a reluctant Charter changer is all for for Cha-cha and even the lifting of term limits and has already allegedly given Speaker Felciano Belmonte the green light to inititiate, along with Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, the forming of a constitutuent assembly where the two houses will be voting separately.
Belmonte said as much when he was quoted as saying that to do away with the problem of the constitutional provision that says a joint voting of the two Houses of Congress, the Senate will vote separately, but together with the the House, on a three fourths vote.
The idea behind the portrayal of Aquino standing firm on a No Cha-cha position, is to get the public to go along with Cha-cha through the constituent assembly and for the Congress to make the necessary amendments, making it appear that it is not he who wants the Constitution amended.
Cha-cha has always attracted public opposition due to perceptions that every president wants to extend his term. By portraying Aquino as being against Cha-cha, he and the LPs are said to convince people that Cha-cha will not be amended for purposes of lifting term limits, or amend the system to a parliamentary one.
Earlier, Enrile cited the need to institute changes in the Constitution if the Aquino administration is dead serious on fortifying its defense line against foreign aggressors, apparently in reference to presence of Chinese government vessels at the West Philippine Sea.
Enrile likewise hinted on the country’s lack of military muscle as reflected in the territorial dispute where the Philippines proved too weak and defenseless as compared to China, which has been asserting claim on the entire West Philippine Sea and the Scarborough Shoal.
Few days after Enrile’s call, Belmonte issued a statement assuring Malacanang of Cha-Cha’s passage should the administration deem it as necessary.
Valte however described the generous offer of support to the Aquino administration’s bid to preserve Philippine sovereignty, as still not enough to make the President change his mind.
“We can make our position known and it will be up to them on how they will receive that particular position,” she said, adding that she has yet to receive information on whether the Congress heads intend to speak to the President about the issue.
Aquino’s political ally, Rep. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar likewise conveyed to the President the importance of instituting changes in some constitutional provisions adding that the best time for Charter change should be under his presidency. Aquino vowed not to run for any elective post in 2016.
Valte claimed that Aquino has no more plans to work in the government beyond 2016 even as she reiterated on the President’s position — Chacha is still not a priority of the administration.
“We have discussed this in, I think, two weeks ago and we have definitively said that the President is very aware of the term that he has — six years. No more, no less,” she said.
“The position of the President on Cha-cha remains the same. We have not been advised of any change on it by the President,” she added.
If there’s any consolation , Valte assured Enrile and Belmonte  that the President is very satisfied with the way both legislative chambers have been helping him pass his legislative priorities.
But for Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, amending the 1987 Constitution under the proposed set-up being pushed by Congress leaders similar to the two chambers sitting as a constituent assembly, will run out of time.
Santiago said yesterday that  “the earliest that it can be taken up by both chambers of Congress will be after May 2013,” she said.
While Santiago admitted that she has always been against any constitutional amendments especially if taken vis-a-vis during budget deliberations, it can not carried out in a manner like enacting a law.
Besides, Santiago told reporters during a weekly news forum at the Senate, the issue on securing needed votes to pass an amendments may be difficult considering that some of their colleagues would already be engaged in campaign preparations, particularly those seeking re-election in the May 2013 polls.
“You just have no time. You cannot push the Cha-cha initiative in a manner that will go around the need for full-bodied consideration. It’s not an ordinary law. It is the Constitution of the Philippines,” she said.
Under its usual timetable, the Senate begins deliberating on the proposed national budget in August through the conduct of committee hearings, until December when the measure should already be enacted by both Houses.
“You know the procedure in the Senate. If there is an amendment, then we will have to conduct a public hearing. I will call everybody with an interest in the subject particularly the young people in our universities because it is they who would have to live with the consequences of any of these amendments particularly the amendment to do away with the 60-40 percent requirement in ownership. What they want to happen is they want to liberalize these industries completely meaning to say the foreigner can come here and own completely the corporation that he has formed.
“The Constitution is a permanent document. It is not the law. I don’t see what is the urgency of constitutional amendment. At the earliest, it should be set after the May 2013 elections,” she said.
“Certain corporations who are interested in the natural resources of our country, want to invest here but they want to own the whole thing. They don’t want to give the 40 percent to the Filipinos. They want total freedom to control their corporation in the repatriation of their profits to the own home countries. Some politicians are morally convinced. I’m not saying that we should automatically blame them but what I’m saying is we need time to study this matter. It is not as simple as it sounds,” she pointed out.
Enrile earlier said that the two Houses need not meet jointly to tackle each provision proposed to be amended as the lower house can deliberate on it and the Senate approving it with the required number of votes under the Constitution.