Senate reso authorizes Zubiri to challenge legality of signature drive

The Senate building at the GSIS Complex in Pasay City. (Photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — A resolution authorizing Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to challenge the constitutionality of the controversial people’s initiative (PI) for Charter change (Cha-cha) has been filed in the Senate.

All 24 senators, including Zubiri, were named as authors of Senate Resolution No. 920 filed on Tuesday.

Under the resolution, the Senate chief would be authorized to file “appropriate action before the proper tribunal to challenge the constitutionality, validity and irregularities relating to the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution.”

It likewise authorizes Zubiri “to engage the services of counsel/s to prepare the appropriate action and all related pleadings and appear and argue before such tribunal/s for this purpose.”

The resolution cited previous Supreme Court’s rulings which declare that Republic Act No. 6735 or the Initiative and Referendum Act is “inadequate to cover the system of initiative on amendments to the Constitution, and to have failed to provide sufficient standard for subordinate legislation.”

“In light of these Supreme Court decisions and the ongoing People’s Initiative represented by Atty. Anthony A. Abad, et al., there may be a need to file the appropriate action before the proper tribunal,” the resolution reads.

Abad’s name was mentioned in Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation probing the alleged bribery allegations surrounding the signature drive for Cha-cha.

According to Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Abad’s name was “very visible” in the alleged petition for Cha-cha.

“He is the face of this brouhaha so he should present himself. Otherwise, useless itong magiging inquiry natin kung hindi natin makikita yung tao na nasa form,” Dela Rosa said.

(He is the face of this controversy, so he should present himself. Otherwise, our inquiry would be useless if we can’t see the person listed on the form.)

Abad was later summoned by the Senate panel to attend its probe.