Group starts distribution of people’s initiative withdrawal affidavit

A copy  of  an “affidavit and manifestation of withdrawal” for Filipinos who wish to retract their signatures from the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution distributed by Bayan Muna party-list group. (Screen shot from Bayan Muna taken on January 28, 2024.

MANILA, Philippines — The Bayan Muna party-list group on Sunday started distributing withdrawal forms or an “Affidavit and Manifestation of Withdrawal”to Filipinos who were “duped” into signing up for the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution. 

 “I previously signed the signing sheet as part of a People’s Initiative to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the signing sheet of this People’s Initiative has been submitted to the Comelec District/City/Provincial/National Office,” a section of the affidavit reads.

“It is my intention, by the filing of this Affidavit of Withdrawal, to WITHDRAW my signature therefrom, and hereby inform the COMELEC to consider my signature withdrawn from the same,” it continued.

According to Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares, “these forms will help right a wrong and prove that there is deceit involved in the fake people’s initiative drive.”

Colmenares, a lawyer, has been a staunch defender of the 1987 Constitution and has repeatedly emphasized that amending the Charter will not address poverty and corruption.

Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva also called the initiative “fake” and claimed that his office has proof that some members of the House of Representatives have been pushing for it.

He likewise claimed that some signatories did not even know what they were signing up for.

These accusations, however, have been consistently denied by the private group leading the signature campaign.