The influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Sunday cautioned against the move by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to change the 1987 Constitution and called for the holding of elections in 2007.

In a statement issued at the end of a annual plenary in Manila, the CBCP said proponents of the Charter Change should not be " hasty" to change the Constitution, drawn after the downfall of former president Ferdinand Marcos in a popular revolt in 1986.

The administration of Arroyo has asked for the completion of the Charter Change by the middle of this year to pave the way for the establishment of a parliamentary government to replace the current presidential one.

The CBCP, which played a key role in calming down the political storm last year by rejecting calls for the resignation of Arroyo, said there should be a "widespread discussion" on Charter Change through a Constitutional Convention instead of the Consultative Commission (Con-Com), the body tasked by the government to propose amendments to the Constitution.

The Con-Com has also recommended "no elections" scenario next year, which has met opposition from numerous politicians including former president Fidel Ramos, a strong proponent of Charter Change himself.

At the House of Representatives, which is considered a power base of Arroyo, a resolution has been filed seeking to reject all moves to cancel national and local elections in 2007.

Meanwhile, most of the Philippine senators have expressed opposition to the Charter Change.

Source: Xinhua