Robin Padilla gets why House solons back PI, but still won’t support it

Sen. Robin Padilla presides over the hearing of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media to discuss Senate Resolution No. 61 on Oct. 5, 2023. On Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, Padilla surmised that members of the House of Representatives may have opposed a people’s initiative as a form of amending the Constitution because other forms of Charter change repeatedly failed to fly in the Senate. (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robin Padilla on Monday surmised that members of the House of Representatives may have thrown their support to a people’s initiative as a form of amending the 1987 Constitution because other forms of Charter change (Cha-cha) repeatedly failed to fly in the Senate.

Padilla tried several times to amend provisions in the country’s principal Charter, but none of those attempts gained ground in the upper chamber.

According to the senator, he tried to push for an amendment to the economic provisions of the Constitution via constituent assembly (con-ass) last year, but it was “put to sleep” when it reached the Senate.

Padilla heads the Senate committee on constitutional amendments.

“I was a witness to the con-ass we were pushing a year ago for the amendment of the economic provision…there, we are with the [House],” the senator said in Filipino in an interview with ANC.

The senator was referring to Resolution of Both Houses No. 3, which he filed in February 2023 to “remove restrictive economic provisions,” supposedly allowing the country to accelerate its economic growth.

“But when the bill reached the Senate, it did not gain ground. That’s why what the [House] is saying is true: proposals for economic provisions often do not gain traction in the Senate,” he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

“Maybe that’s why they resorted to that kind of politics,” the senator continued, referring to the House’s voicing of support for the people’s initiative campaign, calling it a “political move.”

Previously, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda called the Senate a “cemetery” for Cha-cha, citing previous failed attempts to change the Charter during the time of former Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

Still no to joint voting

But despite lamenting his unsuccessful attempts for Cha-cha, Padilla said he still does not support the signature drive of the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (Pirma) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

His reason? He opposes the joint voting of Congress on any revision to the Charter.

Padilla and his 23 fellow senators have unanimously approved a manifesto opposing Pirma’s Cha-cha campaign, saying the process would undermine the country’s democracy as it proposed that Congress vote jointly on amending the 1987 Constitution.

READ: Senate, House clash over people’s initiative for Charter change

The Senate reiterated that allowing the two chambers to vote jointly on any amendments to the 1987 Constitution would destabilize the principle of bicameralism and the system of checks and balances.

Also, joint voting could mean that the 300-plus members of the House may outvote the 24-member Senate.

READ: Senate manifesto nixes people’s initiative, warns of no-el scenario

“We will not allow this to get through because the people elected a senator. Their elected senator cannot lose their voice and vote,” Padilla pointed out.

The Senate has since launched its bid to tweak the Charter via a Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RB6).

RB6 seeks to amend the economic provisions in the Constitution, particularly on education, public utilities, and advertising.