Moving now to amend the 1987 Constitution via constituent assembly may be like taking one big step into a mousetrap or into quicksand, Sen. Panfilo Lacson warned.

Lacson said this is especially since there is no certainty yet if both houses of Congress will vote separately or as one in such a constituent assembly.

“Without the certainty that both chambers of Congress will be voting separately, and there is none due to the vagueness of that particular provision in the 1987 Constitution – and only the Supreme Court can make such interpretation – it’s like taking one big step into a mousetrap, or even quicksand for that matter,” he said in a statement.

Earlier, Lacson warned the Senate could be rendered irrelevant if it participates in a constituent assembly with the House.

While the Senate has only 24 members, the House has nearly 300. Thus it can easily make up more than 3/4 of the required constituent assembly votes, unless both houses vote separately.

Thus, Lacson said all 24 senators should discuss the matter very carefully even before considering plenary debates.

“Having said that, I think all of us 24 senators should discuss this matter very carefully before we even consider plenary debates on the said resolution if indeed there is one filed,” he said.