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Updated Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:29 am TWN, Reuters

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Philippine court rejects petition on charter

MANILA -- The Philippines' Supreme Court has dismissed two petitions challenging moves by the lower house of Congress to convene a constituent assembly to amend the constitution, a court spokesman said on Tuesday.

Lawmakers allied to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo voted on June 2 to convert Congress into an assembly that can change the constitution, a move that could affect the holding of next year's presidential elections.

“It's really premature because there's no actual controversy yet,” court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez told reporters, adding the lawmakers had not taken steps to convene the assembly or propose specific changes in the constitution.

Marquez said the court could make a ruling once an actual assembly is convened and challenged.

The petitions were filed by lawyers believed to be linked to the administration, newspapers have said. They say pro-government politicians may have wanted a quick resolution of the case, allowing them more time to work on amendments.

Lawmakers said they were not surprised by the top court's decision, although the opposition said it feared Arroyo's allies could use the dismissal of the petitions as a vote of approval by the judges.

“The petition was obviously designed to fail so that its dismissal can be used to justify Arroyo's allies next move, which is the immediate convening of a constituent assembly,” said Teodoro Casino, a left-wing member of Congress.

But, Prospero Nograles, speaker of the 268-member lower house of Congress, said the court made the right ruling because there will only be a justiciable issue once the assembly is convened and specific proposals are made.

“It's like all the rallies and protests the opposition and the bishops are making. It's all just political noise and it's all premature,” Nograles said in text messages to reporters.

Last week, about 5,000 people gathered in the capital's financial district to denounce efforts by Arroyo's allies in Congress to amend the constitution, a move that could result in the removal of term limits of elected officials.

Arroyo is no longer eligible to seek re-election, but her critics say she could use the constitutional change to hold on to power.

Analysts fear popular unrest, an increase in political risk and further pressure on financial markets if the charter plan is pursued.

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