Imee Marcos: ‘Ang PI (people’s initiative) niyo ay DOA na’
MANILA, Philippines — The people’s initiative (PI) for Charter change is now dead on arrival (DOA), Senator Imee Marcos said on Tuesday.
Marcos made this declaration following the remarks of her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, saying that the push for Charter change (Cha-cha) through PI is very divisive.
“Ang PI niyo ay DOA na (Your PI is DOA),” Sen. Marcos said in a phone interview with Senate reporters.
Her statement also came after the filing of a resolution led by no less than Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
This move, she believes, puts a stop to the PI.
“Well, happy ako kasi naudlot na yung PI. ‘Yun ang pinakaimportante, right?” she said when asked about the resolution.
(Well, I’m happy because the PI got canceled. That’s the most important thing, right?)
“I think SP [Zubiri] should be congratulated roundly for successfully negotiating the end of…allegedly corrupt PI,” she added.
Sen. Marcos, though, raised some questions on the resolution.
“Nakakatawa nga paano sinulat yung resolution, with all due respect sa mga author,” she said.
(It’s funny how the resolution was written, with all due respect to the authors.)
“Parang ayaw banggitin na con-ass ‘yun at Cha-cha ‘yun, pero Cha-cha at con-ass pa rin ‘yun kahit kinuble sa pagsasabi lamang na three-fourths vote, separate houses. In effect, it’s a constituent assembly,” she added.
The resolution filed by Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, and Sen. Sonny Angara states that the Senate and the House of Representatives should separately approve the proposed amendments to economic provisions by a three-fourths vote.
Sen. Marcos said she has yet to study the measure as she continued to express apprehensions against Cha-cha.
For one, she said, con-ass is “a slippery slope” as other proposals, like amending political provisions, may also be raised once lawmakers open Cha-cha discussions.
Besides, the senator believes that any amendments to the Constitution may be done through regular legislative processes.
READ: New initiative push: Perilous, dangerous
