It's eight against six in favor of a Constitutional Convention to amend the 1987 Constitution among members of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The resolution authored by Board Member Reynaldo Depasucat urging the Philippine Senate to opt for a Constitutional Convention, was approved by the SP during its regular session yesterday.

Eight of the 14 board members present - Depasucat, Yulo, Miller Serondo, Macario Zafra, Man-Man Ko, Francis Joseph Tuvilla, George Gitano and Edgardo Acuña - voted for Con-Con, while Ike Barredo, Elmero Layumas, Fernando Leonor, Corazon Diploma, Mae Javellana and Adolfo Mangao opted to go for a Constituent Assembly. Depasucat, chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights, said the Constitution, which is the highest law of the land, must be framed with people's participation as part of our well-enshrined democratic system of government.

Layumas, Mangao, and Javellana, however, argued that amending the constitution through "con-con" will entail more expenses from the government. Last month, the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod unanimously passed a resolution strongly and vehemently opposing Con-Ass as a mode for charter change and called for a Con-Con to undertake the revision, if it is necessary.

Proponents of the Con-Con expressed dismay over the failure of the Constitutional Commission to hold its consultation with Negrenses last month.

The Negrenses United Against a Constituent Assembly, in a statement furnished to the SP, clarified that it is not against change, but it should be done on the following conditions:

*That the public be fully engaged in the study and open discussion of the provisions of the Constitution and the changes that must be made. Should the needs of the time really call for Charter change, it has to be done through a Constitutional Convention;

*That if the Constitution is to be revised at all, those who officially participate in drafting the new Constitution must be prohibited from directly benefiting from the changes; and

*In the interim, the devolution of powers as provided in the Local Government Code should be fully implemented and the 40 percent share from all government revenues be released to the Local Government Units through the mandated Internal Revenue Allotment formula."*GPB

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