MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives leaders challenged their counterparts in the Senate on Tuesday to pass the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, which was filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, to avoid debates and put a stop to the ongoing push for people’s initiative (PI).
“I appeal to our friends in the Senate: You pass your RBH6, and the House of Representatives will welcome it. You transmit it to us, and we welcome it with two open arms… You pass RBH6, the people’s initiative will be dead in the water because everyone knows there can never be two initiatives in a span of five years. Pass it and we’ll adopt it, no questions asked,” House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe said in a media briefing.
“If they want, we can even do blood compact just like that Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said,” Dalipe, who represents the 2nd District of Zamboanga City, added.
He likewise noted how the senators have blocked Charter change (Cha-cha) efforts even when RBH 2 was proposed back in the previous Congress.
For his part, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. of 3rd District of Pampanga 3rd said that Zubiri even promised President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Romualdez to pass the resolution, which urges Congress to call for a constitutional convention (Con-con) that would propose amendments to the Constitution’s economic provisions.
“My worry is just that they may not be able to get the 18 votes needed, just like what he promised us. SP Migz [Zubiri] told us he can have it passed by March,” Gonzales said.
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman echoed Dalipe’s remarks, saying that it pained her to see a “malicious interpretation” of their actions.
This is not something new. Even the past Congress and speakers talk about constitutional reforms,” Roman said.
“Even the former administration, the former president [Rodrigo Duterte] won on a platform of constitutional reform. What he was pushing for was different: federalism. So why are we acting all of a sudden like this is something new, that this is something like a violation of the sacrosanct Constitution when, in fact, many of the senators during their term as congressmen were supportive of the idea of constitutional reform,” she said.
Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda pointed out that he was heavily involved with the crafting and defense of the people’s initiative, which he said was principally authored by former Camarines Sur Rep. Raul Roco.
“Why impute malice on the House – when it has been ideologically consistent about opening up the Constitution for more foreign investment for as long as this Constitution has been in effect? We do not impute malice on the Senate that they are opposing Charter Change simply because they want to,” Salceda said during his speech on Tuesday at the lower chamber’s hearing.
“We argue against the points of their pro-restrictive positions on key sectors of the economy, especially agriculture. But, we do not impute malice on their opposition to the people’s initiative. Instead, as elected leaders of the people, we intend to try to convince the people and bring it to them for a vote.”
“We in the House are eager to bring this question to the people. And why shouldn’t we be, when the People ordained this Constitution and elected us in the first place. Again, why are they so afraid of the will of the people – whatever it may be?” he added.
On Jan. 23, all 24 senators signed a manifesto rejecting the people’s initiative, underscoring the need to “guard against any sinister and underhanded attempt to change the Constitution by exploiting our democratic process under the guise of a people’s initiative.”
According to the manifesto, the goal of the people’s initiative is for the Senate and the House of Representatives to vote jointly on any changes to the Constitution. However, it warned that when the move succeeds, then changes to the Constitution can be done with or without the approval of the Senate.