Pimentel made the remark despite Duterte's recent pronouncement about his preference to change grassroots leaders even without elections.
"Pagaralan natin. Kasi we do not just dismiss immediately the proposal. We do not accept immediatley the proposal. Kailangan pagaralan kasi 42000 barangays will be affected," Pimentel said.
The President has expressed concern that 49 percent of all village chiefs had links to ilegal drugs.
“It’s a bit messy. Kasi kapag tinanggal mo rin ang mga gagong ito, magsigawan—we are looking for a way to appoint nalang the barangay captains,” Duterte said in press conference upon his arrival from trips to Thailand and Myanmar.
“But ang mechanism to go about it—ako, you know the President has always the power to appoint. But I am going to compromise with the Church and everybody. They can nominate three citizens,” he added.
Still, he asked Filipinos to vote wisely in October for their barangay leaders.
While Pimentel said senators would study the proposal, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday said that the House of Representatives could back up Duterte's plan to appoint barangay officials in lieu of an election.
"Kaya po 'yun," he told radio dzBB. "Hindi po [kakapusin sa oras] lalo na kapag ci-nertify as urgent ng ating Pangulo... Pag-uusapan po namin 'yan sa Kongreso kung papa'no [magagawa]."
Alvarez said he has already instructed his staff to draft amendments to the Local Government Code which would make Duterte’s plan possible.
“Okay naman 'yan. Kailangan lang natin amiyendahan 'yung Local Government Code,” Alvarez said.
Pimentel said he wanted to meet Duterte and clarify with him his plan to appoint barangay officials instead of hold the elections scheduled this October.
“No decisions were made. Ang sentimyento na nailabas is the usual process naman ‘yan in lawmaking. Number one, is the proposal constitutional or legal? And if yes, we will now go into the wisdom of the proposal,” Pimentel said in an interview Monday.
“And ang isa pang tanong kaya I need to meet with Secretary Sueno and with the President, is that what he really wants?” the Senate President added referring to Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno and Duterte.
Pimentel said the Constitution left it to the legislature to determine “barangay matters.”
“That is legislature, that is not Constitution. Hindi siya ganun kabigat, ang gusto ko sabihin. Hindi na kailangan baguhin ang Constitution,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel, however, that whether the proposal is indeed constitutional may still be questioned during the debates if and when a legislative measure is filed.
Congress is currently on a Lenten break and will resume session on May 2.
Pimentel said he agreed with Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on local government committee, that the Local Government Code should be amended if Duterte wants to appoint barangay officials.
Angara said that there would be consultations on the proposal if a measure was filed before the Senate.
“Bilang local government committee chair, sisiguraduhin natin ang pagkakaroon ng malawakang konsultasyon ukol sa isyu na ito,” Angara said.
SOURCE: GMA