FACT SHEET

- The House of Representatives is willing to consider having the Senate vote separately
on constitutional amendments, Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Wednesday,
breaking from her predecessor’s insistence that both chambers of Congress vote jointly.
- “I agree to separate voting. We want to move forward. We have to be realistic. It is better
to move forward and achieve something than to be stubborn and achieve nothing,” –
Arroyo
- Senators, however, say this would render their votes insignificant because there are
only 24 of them against 292 House members.
- There was no deadline for coming up with a federal constitution, however.
- Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, the leader of the Visayan bloc in the House,
said the House is optimistic that the senators would agree to form a constituent
assembly to amend the Constitution, given the concession on the mode of voting.
- “The committee on constitutional amendments will be reconstituted,” Arroyo said, as the
chairman, Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, will likely be replaced.
- “The House will wait for the Senate action with regard to our proposal. Senator Zubiri
said he will take it up during their majority caucus,” Benitez said.
- President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to shift to a federal system of government will
require amendments to the Constitution.
- The consultative committee he established has already furnished both chambers of
Congress with a draft federal charter that may be the starting point for discussions.
- But Senator Panfilo Lacson said the election of Arroyo as Speaker could unify opposition
in the Senate against Charter change over fears that she would become the prime
minister in a federal system of government.
- He said Sotto also told the President that he counted at least 10 senators who were
opposed to Charter change.
- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who Arroyo jailed for a failed coup, would also oppose
Charter change, as well as the five Liberal Party senators, Sotto said.
- Senator JV Ejercito, too, would likely oppose Charter change because his father,
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, was ousted and sent to jail by Arroyo.
- Senator Grace Poe, on the other hand, also felt that her father, Fernando Poe
Jr., had been cheated by Arroyo in the presidential election of 2004.

http://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/271976/con-ass-gaining-traction.html
BOCAUE, Bulacan -- A fight resulting in 13 ejections broke out during the game between
Gilas Pilipinas and Australia at the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Philippine
Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan on Monday.

The Boomers were up 79-48 with 4:01 left in the third period when the game was
suddenly halted after a collision between Gilas guard Roger Pogoy and Australian
veteran Chris Goulding started what would eventually escalate into an ugly free-for-all.

The game was eventually called when Gilas was left with only one player.

The brawl began with Goulding knocked to the floor after the collision, prompting
Australian big man Daniel Kickert to hit Pogoy with an elbow.

Both benches emptied, with punches thrown from both camps. South Sudan-Australian
forward Thon Maker was seen kicking Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche during
the bench-clearing incident.

Terrence Romeo also threw a punch at the back of Maker's head. Maker, who played last
season for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, retaliated with a flying kick but missed
Romeo.

One Aussie player appeared to be hit by a chair, and some fans threw debris on the court
as the fight escalated.

After assessing the replay of the fight, officials made a decision to eject 13 players from
the game.

Australian players Maker, Christopher Goulding, Nathan Sobey, and Daniel Kickert, and
nine players from the Philippine team -- Terrence Romeo, Jayson Castro, Carl Bryan
Cruz, Calvin Abueva, Blatche, Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright
were disqualified.

When the game resumed, Gilas only fielded three players -- June Mar Fajardo, Gabe
Norwood, and Baser Amer. Norwood and Fajardo soon fouled out, leaving Amer as the
lone Philippine player on the court which forced the officials to call the game with
Australia winning 89-53.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio addressed the crowd after the
brawl subsided.

"I want to appeal to everybody to please settle down," he said. "We didn't want what
happened to happen. We are hosting this game, and this is basketball. We will wait for
the referees' decision. Please respect the game and make our visitors safe in the arena.
We will continue the game. Let's show respect to our friends from Australia. Let's
respect also the decision that will come out from the referees."
Gilas coach Chot Reyes after the game defended his players.
"I understand the disappointment, I understand that some are embarrassed, but you
don't know what happened. You have to be in the team, you have to be in our circle to
really understand what went down," he said.

FIBA in a statement said Austrailia and Philippines will face "disciplinary proceedings"
and decisions will be made in the coming days.
Basketball Australia chief executive Anthony Moore expressed his disappointment
following the match played in front of more than 22,000 fans.

"Basketball Australia deeply regrets the incident in tonight's match between the
Boomers and the Philippines in Manila. We are extremely disappointed with what
happened and our role in it," Moore said in a statement that was posted in an article at
www.nbl.com.au.