Imee Marcos wonders if gov’t ‘running rogue’ amid PCSO, Congress issues

FILE PHOTO: Senator Imee Marcos raises the question, “Is the government running rogue?”, noting the “defiance” of the House of Representatives to an earlier Charter change deal made in front of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In this photo, Marcos was speaking during the inquiry of the  Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — “Is the government running rogue?”

Senator Imee Marcos raised this question on Friday, noting the “defiance” of the House of Representatives to an earlier Charter change deal made in front of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a Zoom interview, the senator was asked about the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) operation of online lotto games based on a memorandum issued by the past administration.

“Ewan ko, ‘di ko na maintindihan,” she initially said, followed by a question: “Is the entire government running rogue?”

(I don’t know, I don’t understand anymore.)

“Congress is defying the agreement with the Senate that was forged in the presence of the President. The PCSO is apparently running rogue as well and is doing what it feels like doing… What’s going on? Bakit ganito (Why is it like this)?” she asked.

https://youtu.be/JcuW3r-vSxM

The agreement she mentioned refers to the Senate and House leadership meeting with the President last January  11.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier said that during that meeting, there was an agreement that the upper chamber would lead the effort to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Despite this agreement, senators suspect that House members continued their push for a people’s initiative  (PI)  to amend the country’s main Charter – prompting the Senate to issue a manifesto against the PI and suspending its own Charter change resolution in the  upper chamber.

However, Sen. Marcos later clarified  her statement saying she was not referring to the entire government.

“Hindi naman (Not really) the entire government…Ang tanong ko lang(My only question), is the government running rouge?” she said.

“Kasi may mga naririnig tayo na merong PCSO hindi sumusunod. Maliwanag sa aming mga senador ‘yung Congress ‘di sumusunod. Ano na ito, kanya-kanya?” the senator asked again.

(Because we’re hearing things like a PCSO not following. It is clear to us senators that Congress is not following. What is it, to each his own?)