Cha-cha moves should not stop next year's polls: Treñas
Amid the heated talks on charter change, the Union of Local Authorities in the Philippines (ULAP) is of the position that next year's election scheduled on May 14 should be pushed through.
City Mayor Jerry Treñas, who is also the president of the League of Cities in the Philippines (LCP), said postponing the election next year is very unwelcome to the public.
He said any attempt to stop or delay the scheduled 2007 election should be opposed.
Treñas said he was in Manila last Thursday for a meeting over the LCP's position on the issue of Charter Change.
Meanwhile, the mayor refused to comment on Saturday's announcement of House Speaker Jose De Venecia that the lower house is willing to postpone plans to convene a constituent assembly while waiting for the Senate's response on Charter change.
But the mayor stressed that ULAP supports move to amend the Constitution to change the present form of government to parliamentary.
Treñas, however, said moves for charter change should be in accordance with the law.
The House earlier passed a resolution backing a constituent assembly without the Senate.
The move garnered strong opposition from various sectors including the churches.
It is believed that De Venecia backtracked from his position to avert possible unrest in the country.
Various groups earlier warned of massive protests if the House pushes through with its plan to convene a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution.