Villar: Senate ready to do battle on all fronts.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Michael Lim Ubac and Juliet Labog-Javellana

SENATE PRESIDENT MANUEL VILLAR yesterday served notice that the chamber was prepared to fight the House-only constituent assembly (Con-ass) on all fronts even as the House of Representatives was set to force a vote last night on House resolution calling for the convening of Con-ass.

The opposition had effectively derailed the timetable for Charter change (Cha-cha).

The original game plan was to pass House Resolution 1450 the other night and set the date for the commencement of the Con-ass on Monday, so that senators would have a three-day notice before the joint assembly.

The minority, while greatly outnumbered by administration allies, had managed to delay the plan by raising a record number of points of order and parliamentary inquiries.

The extent of the delay depends on how long the minority would be able to hold its ground.

Villar convened a caucus of all senators at 5 p.m. to map out the action that the chamber would take to block the House-only Con-ass.

He said the House had to surmount three hurdles before it could have its way in scrapping the presidential system and establishing a parliamentary form of government.

He said these hurdles were in the House (whether it could muster the 195 signatures to approve the proposed changes to …