Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero described Senator Robin Padilla’s motion before the Supreme Court to set oral arguments on his petition concerning amendments to the 1987 Constitution as “premature.”
In a press briefing, Escudero stated, “Personally, in my view, and I’m not saying this is absolutely correct, the Supreme Court does not yet have jurisdiction on this matter because the filing of the motion was premature. There is no justiciable controversy that requires the SC to assume jurisdiction on the petition.”
Escudero further emphasized his stance as a lawyer but refrained from preempting the Supreme Court’s decision. “That’s my opinion as a lawyer. I don’t want to preempt the Court on what they will do.”
Senator Padilla, who chairs the Senate panel on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, requested the High Court earlier in the day to set oral arguments on his petition regarding Congress’s voting process on charter change. Padilla recently sought an “authoritative declaration” on whether Congress should vote jointly or separately on amendments to the 1987 Constitution, asserting that his motion was “filed in good faith and is not intended to delay the proceedings of this case.”
Escudero clarified that Padilla’s actions were his personal decisions and did not represent the Senate as a whole. “That was his personal decision. He did not consult or ask any member of the Senate regarding this. That is not the action of the Senate.”
Earlier, Escudero indicated that the Senate would place proposals for constitutional change on the backburner, noting the need to prioritize issues that do not dissipate energy or divide the public.