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Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile recommends the lifting of the Philippine Constitution banning nuclear weapons in the country.

This was suggested by Enrile during the Senate committee hearing on constitutional amendments and revision of codes presided by Sen. Robin Padilla on Wednesday.

"I would like to add to your efforts that we must now remove the restriction imposed by the Cory administration on this country and her people not to have any nuclear (weapons) in the country. I think in my personal opinion that is the most serious and unwanted provision of the Constitution," he said.

"In the modern world today, a small country can protect itself against a super power if they have nuclear weapons. We should remove those restrictions and make the country flexible," he added.

Enrile also stressed the importance of nuclear power to avoid oppression from other countries.

"If we can afford it, we should also have nuclear weapons, so that our people will not be trampled upon, not alone made a "tuta" (puppy) or "alipin" (slave) of another country. We must be sure that we make our people equal if not better than others," he said.

"We should have had the nuclear bomb ahead of Iran and North Korea and we will not be oppressed by other countries," he added. Robina Asido/DMS