Duterte appoints 18 men, 1 woman to review the 1987 Constitution

DAVAO CITY, Philippines —- President Rodrigo Duterte appointed 19 of the 25 members of the Consultative Committee in preparation for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution.

The committee is chaired by former Supreme Court chief justice Reynato Puno.

Here’s the complete list of the 19 members:

• Reynato Puno -former Supreme Court Chief Justice

• Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr -Former Senate President, father of incumbent Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III

• Randolph Climaco Parcasio – chair of the Peace Implementing Panel of the Moro National Liberation Front and MNLF spokesperson

• Antonio Arellano – former Davao City State Prosecutor

• Susan Ubalde-Ordinario -Lawyer, federalism advocate

• Reuben Canoy -lawyer and radio station owner, federalism advocate

• Roan Libarios – former President, Integrated Bar of the Philippines

• Laurence Wacnang -Former Codillera Administrative region Congressman

• Ali Pangalian Balindong -Former Lanao del Sur Congressman

• Edmund Soriano Tayao-University Professor

• Eddie Mapag Alih – former Mindanao State University (Tawi-tawi) Chancellor

• Bienvenido Reyes – retired Supreme Court associate justice

• Julio Cabral Teehankee – political science professor

• Antonio Nachura – retired Supreme Court associate justice, former solicitor general

• Rodolfo Dia Robles – 1967 bar topnotcher

• Virgilio Bautista – former University of Baguio president

• Roan Libarios – former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president

• Fr. Ranhilio Aquino – San Beda law dean

• Victor Serna – Former Bohol Governor

• Arthur Aguilar- businessman

Six  of the 19 appointees are from Mindanao.

Ordinario is the only female among the 19 appointees.

Duterte signed their appointment papers on January 23 but they were released to media on Thursday, January 25.

The committee is tasked to “study, conduct consultations, and review the provisions of the 1987 Constitution including but not limited to the provisions on the structure and powers of
the government, local governance, and economic policies.”

The committee must complete its work in 6 months. While Duterte’s EO states the committee should have 25 members

The committee will present its recommendations and proposals to Duterte, who will then submit them to Congress. The committee will cease to exist after the submission to Congress.

On December 7, 2016, President Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10, creating a 25-member consultative body tasked to review the 1987 Constitution.

It took the President 13 months to complete the list.

The revision of the 1987 Constitution and the shift from a unitary to a federal form of government are among the top priorities of the Duterte administration-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph