Time to change charter – Gadon

THE MANILTIMES/By Arlie O. Calalo/January 30, 2020

AMID the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) suspension of the people's initiative (PI) proceedings, Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon said on Monday that this is the ideal time to revise the 1987 Constitution.

He allayed fears that the move to change the charter was primarily meant to extend the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. or any other elective government officials.

"For sure, they were only designed to confuse the people and destroy the genuine desire to revise the charter, which has never been touched for almost four decades," Gadon told The Manila Times via Viber.

Early on, he advised those who do not favor any charter amendments to set aside politics and think of the future of the country.

Gadon said that the 1987 Constitution was a handiwork of only 50 people personally appointed by former president Cory Aquino.

"They were not elected by the people to lawfully make the charter of the country, and most Filipinos were fooled back then. It was not the real democracy," he said.

Moreover, Gadon said, the "Cory" constitution was created only to protect the interest of the oligarchs close to the former late president while Filipinos were left behind.