The newly installed chair of the House committee on constitutional amendments raised a few eyebrows after insisting his panel is already convened into a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) during its hearing on Wednesday, January 13.

Panel chair and Ako Bicol Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr argued the committee can supposedly be treated as a Con-Ass – one of the allowed modes to change the 1987 Constitution – because they are exercising their power to propose amendments to the charter.