‘Please Be Quick,’ Aquino Urges Philippine Constitution Panel

MANILA — Philippine President Corazon Aquino, at the inaugural meeting of the commission she hand-picked to write a new constitution, called on its members Monday to avoid politics and “please be quick” in completing their task.

“Limit yourselves to the constitution,” she said. “Do not be distracted by political debate or matters of policy.”

The 48 members of the commission unanimously chose Cecilia Munoz Palma, 73, a retired jurist and former National Assembly member, as commission president. Munoz Palma was active in Aquino’s campaign for the presidency against Ferdinand E. Marcos.

‘Freedom Constitution’

The session was held in the chamber of the National Assembly, which was abolished by Aquino three months ago when she proclaimed a “freedom constitution” as the law of this land of 54 million until a new constitution can be written.

Several hours before the commission convened, police and troops used tear gas and truncheons to drive about 3,000 Marcos loyalists from the grounds outside. The demonstrators claimed that the commission is illegal since it was appointed rather than elected.

In her address, Aquino declared that she will not intervene in the commission’s proceedings, which will be televised nationally. She told commission members that nobody can impose a deadline on their work, but she has said that she wants to see the constitution written in 90 days.

‘Our People Are Eager’

“You know that our people are eager for a new constitution and new elections,” she said.

The draft of a new constitution will be submitted to a national plebiscite and, if approved, local elections, originally scheduled last month, could be held before the end of the year. If Aquino’s professed goal is met, national elections would be held by next March and a new legislature formed. Until then, Aquino will continue to rule by decree.

The 53-year-old president did not specify what political issues she fears might divert the work of the constitution writers. But a controversial stand has been taken by some nationalists and leftists who seek a constitutional prohibition of foreign military bases on Philippine soil. The United States maintains its biggest overseas naval and air bases here.

“Even the wisest cure for present maladies should not be imposed on future generations,” Aquino said. “Our first attempt at constitutional revision (in 1971-72) was followed by a dictatorship. And this, our second, was preceded by a revolution.”

Writing a constitution, she declared, is “no easy task but, depending on the results, no small glory.”

Heherson Alvarez, minister of agrarian reform and a panel member on the 1971-72 constitutional convention, suggested that Aquino’s call on the new commission to avoid outside issues was designed “to assure there’ll be no fooling around. . . . It took us two years.”

Aquino named 45 members of the commission last week and allotted five more seats to be filled by Marcos loyalists. One of the loyalist nominees rejected the appointment because it carries a ban on seeking public office for one year after the constitution is written. The other vacancy occured when the Iglesia ni Kristo, a pro-Marcos Christian sect, declined Aquino’s offer to nominate a delegate.