Robin revives Cha-cha for extension of terms

For president, VP. lawmakers

- MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Another Charter change initiative has come to life - this time in the Senate - with focus on political provisions, specifically on term extension for elected officials, including the president and vice president.

In Resolution of Both Houses No. 5 he filed on Wednesday, Sen. Robinhood Padilla said he also wants to amend portions of Article VI or the Legislative Department in the 1987 Constitution to increase the number of senators to 54, of whom 24 would be nationally elected and the remaining 30 would be elected from legislative regions.

Padilla filed the resolution following Speaker Martin Romualdez's declaration on Tuesday that the House would tackle Charter change next year but focusing on its economic provisions.

Padilla, in his resolution, also proposed extending senators' term of office from the current six years to eight years for nationally elected ones (with allowable two terms in office), and four years for the regional senators (three consecutive terms).

Meanwhile, Padilla said the terms of office of members of the House of Representatives should be extended from the current three years to four years, and retaining the current allowable three consecutive terms.