MANILA, Philippines — Without a clear statement that a people’s initiative (PI) is “dead,” the Senate will continue its probe into alleged irregularities surrounding this controversial mode of amending the 1987 Constitution.
Senator Imee Marcos said this on Wednesday in response to the House of Representatives’ call to stop the PI probe and approve the Senate-led resolution proposing changes to specific economic provisions of the Constitution.
“Hindi kasi maliwanag na wala nang PI dahil sabi ni Pangulo dun sa interview sa Vietnam [na] pinag-aaralan pa. Hindi pa daw maliwanag na patay na ‘yung PI, so tuloy lang investigation,” she said in an interview at the Senate.
(It’s not clear there’s no longer a PI because the President mentioned in an interview in Vietnam that they are still studying it. It’s unclear if the PI is already dead, so the investigation continues.)
As head of the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, Marcos on Tuesday opened the probe on bribery allegations in the Charter change (Cha-cha) signature drive.
While in Vietnam, her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., gave no categorical statements about the PI.
“We don’t know yet. We haven’t made those decisions yet,” the President was quoted as saying when asked about the PI.
“I don’t know if that is still one of the options that remains for us,” he added.
Sen. Marcos also noted that in the same interview, her brother mentioned the PI is “continuing.”
“So walang katigil-tigil. Anong ise-ceasefire namin?” she then asked.
(So it’s non-stop. What ceasefire are we talking about?)
“Kailangang itigil muna ‘yan, di ba? Ganun naman ang totoong ceasefire,” the senator added.
(It needs to be stopped first, right? That’s how a real ceasefire works.)
Nevertheless, she stressed that the Senate is not against Charter change — whether through a constituent assembly, a constitutional convention, or the PI.
READ: New initiative push: Perilous, dangerous