2 House leader scoff at Senate probe into Cha-cha signatures

Official seals of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s investigation on the people’s initiative (PI) campaign — which is attributed by some senators to the House of Representatives leadership — has not proven that voters were bribed to affix their signatures in the petition, two ranking lawmakers said.

 In separate statements on Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Speaker David Suarez claimed that the hearings held by the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, which is headed by Senator Imee Marcos, have not proven anything substantial.

Gonzales said it is not true that national government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were used to back the people’s initiative.

 “Kanina pa po ako nagmomonitor sa hearing, from two o’clock, hanggang ngayon nagmomonitor ako, pero narinig niyo naman po, wala naman pong pamimigay ng pera na nangyari,” Gonzales said.

 (I have been monitoring the hearing since a while ago, from two o’clock, but until now you have not heard about anyone bribing people.)

“Narinig niyo po ‘yong mga Kapitan, ‘yong governor ng Davao del Norte, si Governor Edwin (Jubahib), so wala pong ginamit ang national agencies — na ‘yong DSWD — wala pong nagamit talaga,” he added.

(You heard the barangay captains, the governor of Davao del Norte, Governor Edwin (Jubahib), so no national agencies — like the DSWD were mobilized)

Suarez issued the same sentiments, saying that the “second hearing has not proven that anyone accepted money to call for a people’s initiative.

Sen. Marcos held the committee hearing to probe the charter change proposals under the PI, amid concerns that people were being bribed to sign it.  For the second hearing, Marcos held it in Davao City — hometown of her known ally, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The two deputy speakers also called on the Senate to just focus on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 — a resolution seeking amendments to the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions which was passed by the House last March 2023.