Villafuerte to senators: Let Charter change take its due course

FILE PHOTO: Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte appeals to senators on Saturday, January 27, 2024, to let Charter change take its due course. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — National Unity Party president and Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte on Saturday appealed to senators to let Charter change take its due course.

Villafuerte said senators appear to be “misguided” on their position against the people’s initiative for Charter change, stressing that such a method is a legitimate constitutional process.

A people’s initiative (PI) was launched to gather signatures in support of a petition to amend the 1987 Constitution.

“Their misguided angst over this legit constitutional process has only put amending the Constitution on centerstage – and all the more drawn national awareness to, and support for, the urgency of ridding our fundamental law of its antiquated provisions on economic protectionism at this time of an increasingly borderless world,” he said in a statement.

He, however, also lauded and expressed support for the Senate-initiated Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, which proposes amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

He said he expects the Senate to deliver its plan to adopt RBH No. 6 “as a way to keep going the constitutional process of amending the Constitution, instead of shoving this measure to the back burner, ostensibly in protest over the House support for the grassroots-initiated and -driven PI process.”

READ: House focused on amendments to economic provisions of Constitution, says solon

“Constitutional reform via the PI route, as preserved  in the 1987 Charter, is a two-step process that empowers our people to directly propose amendments, first through a petition backed by 12% of all our registered voters, with at least 3% of every legislative district represented therein,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte then called on senators to “refrain from short-circuiting the constitutional process of PI by casting aspersions on the currently snowballing clamor for lifting the anachronistic economic provisions of our Constitution that have prevented the Philippines from replicating the impressive levels of investments and jobs long enjoyed by many of our peers in the region.”

READ: Colmenares, Lagman hit people’s initiative on Cha-cha

But the PI has been marred with controversies such as bribery with certain proponents allegedly offering money or aid through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program in exchange for signatures.

Senate leaders have criticized the House of Representatives for its supposed duplicity in continuing to push for Charter change through the PI even after agreeing to pursue the process via a joint resolution.

In an unprecedented move, the 24-member Senate unanimously approved a manifesto opposing the PI, saying the process would undermine the country’s democracy as it proposed that Congress vote jointly on revising the 1987 Constitution.