Sen. Bam Aquino insisted that any attempt by the House of Representatives to revise the 1987 Constitution without the Senate’s participation is unconstitutional. 

 “Anumang hakbang na gawin ng Kamara para baguhin ang Saligang Batas na hindi kasama ang Senado ay unconstitutional,” Sen. Bam asserted during the hearing of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments on the draft federal charter submitted by the consultative committee. 

Sen. Bam’s view was supported by several members of the consultative committee, including its chairman, retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, retired Associate Justice Eduardo Nachura and former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel. 

 “I expressed my personal opinion that the voting should be done separately by both Houses of Congress and I gave my reasons for that opinion,” said Puno, adding that he based his opinion on historical reasons and coherent reading of the different provisions of the 1987 Constitution.  

“It cannot be done na sila lang,” said Pimentel, referring to the House of Representatives.  

Nachura, for his part, said that he wrote a book about Constitutional law, where he stated that voting should be done separately. Other members of the consultative committee — professors Julio Teehankee and Edmund Tayao – also supported the views of their senior colleagues. 

Sen. Bam Aquino also stood firm on his stand against the postponement of the 2019 elections.  

“Ang eleksyon ay haligi ng demokrasya. Kapag binuwag mo pa ang haliging iyon, baka gumuho ang demokrasya natin,” said Sen. Bam.

“A number of us have already said that we are not in favor of postponing the elections,” Sen. Bam added, referring to his colleagues in the Senate.