Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva speaks during one of the Senate’s public hearings. (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
[Updated]
MANILA, Philippines — Many senators are no longer interested in dancing to the tune of Charter change (Cha-cha) amid allegations that the House of Representatives leadership is behind the move for people’s initiative to amend the Constitution, said Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Villanueva said his fellow senators have figured in a heated exchange on Monday’s caucus regarding this supposed signature campaign for people’s initiative.
“Talagang nagkainitan ng ulo ang ating mga kasamahan sa Senado doon sa nangyayaring pagpapapirma. Kaya nakakalungkot man isipin, siguro dapat sagutin ng aming supposedly ka-deal dito ang kanilang pakay tungkol dito,” said Villanueva.
(Our colleagues here in the Senate have figured in a heated exchange because of the ongoing signature campaign. It is saddening to think about. Maybe our supposed partners should disclose their real intentions here.)
Villanueva was likewise prodded by reporters if the House leadership can still be trusted amid allegations that they are the ones behind people’s initiative. To this, Villanueva laughed.
“It’s obviously the main reason why a lot of the senators are not interested anymore in pushing for the joint resolution,” he said, pertaining to Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 — a measure that seeks to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
PI signature campaign
After launching an action center for all those who have been “victimized” by the supposed signature campaign for people’s initiative Cha-cha, Villanueva said 90 percent of the evidence they have gathered and received points to Congressmen.
“After 24 hours, we have gotten thousands of complaints [and] pictures pinpointing yung mga tao na lumapit sa kanila at nagpapapirma. 90 percent po noong complaints ay itinuturo ay yung mga staff ng Kongresista. In fact, may mga pictures pa ng mga chief of staff na sila ‘yung mga nagpapatakbo nitong pirma na ito,” said the senator.
(After 24 hours, we have gotten thousands of complaints and pictures pinointing people that have approached them to ask for their signs. 90 percent of these complaints point to Congressmen’s staff/ In fact, there are pictures of some chief of staff who are running this signature campaign.)
Villanueva earlier appealed to the public to report incidents of bribery in exchange for their signature.
The majority leader then said it would be proper for House Speaker Martin Romualdez to address the allegations formally.
“That is the proper, perhaps, the obviously needed [move] in order for us to feel na meron kaming kausap dito,” he said.
(That is the proper, perhaps, obviously needed move in order for us to feel that we are talking to someone here.)
‘Bothered by PI drive’
In a separate presser on Tuesday, Sen. JV Ejercito admitted that senators were “somehow bothered” by the supposed ongoing drive for people’s initiative.
“We’re bothered because there’s already an agreement by the leaders of both Houses that the Senate will pass constitutional amendments on economic provisions and it will be adopted by the House,” Ejercito told reporters.
Ejercito said the agreement was made in the presence of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself.
“We were holding on to that gentleman’s agreement and that’s why we are somehow bothered [by] the information that we’re getting that people’s initiative drive is still ongoing,” he said.
Ejercito disclosed that the majority of senators were not after changing “political provisions” while most are also open for constitutional amendments of economic provisions.