Sotto says NPC not behind Cha-cha move via people’s initiative

FILE PHOTO: Outgoing Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III answers questions from media members Monday, June 13, 2022, at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City. (Albert Calvelo/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is not behind the reported people’s initiative (PI) as a mode of amending the 1987 Constitution, its chairman said on Wednesday.

“As chairman of NPC, I can officially state that the party is not behind the so-called PI,” former Senate President  Vicente “Tito” Sotto III told reporters in a Viber message.

After meeting with some party leaders Tuesday night, Sotto announced that NPC is also “not endorsing anything.”

“Any member who supports the PI is on a personal level and not the party’s stand,” the former Senate chief added.

For his part,  Sotto disagreed with the so-called “Edsa Pwera” advertisement on television, supposedly explaining why there is a need to fix the 1987 Constitution.

He branded the ad “as untruthful and inaccurate.”

“The problem is not the Constitution but some of the people executing it,” Sotto pointed out.

Despite questions against the PI, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) supported Charter change.

“Resolved, that the LCP supports the initiative to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines as these will bring the necessary growth and development needed by our economy,” read a resolution passed by the LCP’s national executive board.