‘300 cities, towns submit Cha-cha signatures’

MANILA, Philippines — Pages of signatures from around 300 cities and municipalities for the ongoing people’s initiative to amend the Constitution have started pouring in to the different Commission on Elections (Comelec) offices nationwide.

“Based on our monitoring and reports coming from the field, it has been reported that they (Office of Election Officers) have received some signature pages,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia reported yesterday.

“Almost nationwide, we got reports from our local Comelec, from the Cordillera to Bangsamoro,” he added.

Garcia said the Comelec could release, possibly by Friday, the official number of signature pages received by the different OEOs.

According to Garcia, some of the signature pages were rejected because they are lacking in requirements, while others have been submitted to the wrong Comelec office.

He said the OEOs will have to verify whether the proponents declared the correct number of signatures. The OEOs will have to classify the districts involved and will issue the certification upon verification.

The certification will be submitted to the Comelec clerk of court, who shall compare it to the certification submitted by proponents and later submit its recommendation to the commission.

If the Comelec bench finds the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, it will direct the OEOs to verify whether the signatures are from registered or active voters.

Garcia said anyone can file a complaint if those signatures were obtained through irregular means. If the irregularity is proven, the local Comelec has valid ground to exclude that particular signature.

Even without complaints, he said the Comelec local offices can remove “irregular” signatures. An ordinary citizen can also ask the local Comelec to remove his or her signature from the petition.

There are 253 districts nationwide and if proponents are unable to obtain the required three percent of voters in just one of those districts, Garcia said the people initiative cannot push through.

Concerning allegations that politicians are behind the People’s Initiative campaign, Garcia said it is beyond the Comelec’s authority at this point. He said the Comelec will just have to receive if the petition is filed.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco clarified that the commission has not yet received a formal petition for People’s Initiative, only signature pages.

Laudiangco, however, gave assurance that the commission will take appropriate action once a complaint or petition is formally filed before the poll body.

If proven that election laws were violated in the gathering of signatures, Laudiangco said a criminal case may be filed against violators.

But if election laws were not violated, he said complaints may still be filed before other government agencies that have jurisdiction over the case.

Different labor groups have expressed their strong opposition against the planned Charter change, be it through people’s initiative or constituent assembly.

Federation of Free Workers said their strong objection against Charter change is rooted in proponents’ push to allow 100 percent foreign ownership.

Militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said the planned Charter change would only benefit foreigners.

For its part, SENTRO said the country does not need a new Constitution but a government that is “truly interested in serving Filipinos.”

Plebiscite required

While lawmakers will discuss and craft the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, the Filipino people will still have to approve the same through a plebiscite.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the people will still have to decide whether they support the changes initiated by senators and congressmen through legislation.

“Anything that we discussed here (in Congress) and we vote will still go to the people if they agree to that,” Zubiri said.

Like Zubiri, Sen. Francis Tolentino said the Senate and House of Representatives will have to have three-fourths vote separately and their proposal will be submitted to the people to approve or not.

“It’s like that. Three-fourths vote… voting separately in the constituent assembly. And the final result will be submitted to the people in a plebiscite called for that purpose,” Tolentino explained.

Zubiri, Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda and Sen. Sonny Angara filed a Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6 that seeks to open up public utilities, advertising and educational institutions to foreign ownership by allowing legislation to ease the prohibitive economic provisions.

Tolentino said exploration of minerals in the West Philippine Sea should be included in the proposed amendments in the economic provisions.

Zubiri said they would have to check with the Comelec whether they have enough funds for the conduct of a plebiscite.

For his part, Sen. Bong Go wants the Senate and House of Representatives to separately tackle the proposed constitutional amendment to ensure proper check and balance.

“We do not agree to jointly (discuss). It must be done separately so that we will have check and balance,” Go said, adding that there should be equal representation from the Senate in discussions for Charter change.

“I want to have check and balance between the Lower House and Senate. If there is something that needs to be passed, there should be equal representation or rights to vote,” Go said.

Moreover, in light of the bribery allegations surrounding the People’s Initiative for Charter change, Go urged Filipinos not to sell their signature. He also implored those behind the signature campaign not to take advantage of the people’s need.

Senators held hostage

The senators’ filing a resolution from both houses of Congress that aims to amend certain economic provisions of the Constitution through legislation could be viewed as if the Senate was virtually being “held hostage” by the people’s initiative.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said he wished that RBH 6 was not filed, as it “was an old idea first filed in 2013.”

At the House of Representatives, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said the Senate agreeing to amend the Constitution “vindicates the House’s 37-year-long pursuit of constitutional reforms.”

But Surigao del Norte second district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is worried about the recurring controversial issue of voting, whether convening the constituent assembly will require joint voting of the two chambers, or separately as senators have always wanted it.

Negros mayors

In Negros Occidental, 15 mayors are supporting moves to amend the country’s 1987 Constitution, according to Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez.

Benitez, president of the Association of Chief Executives-Negros Occidental, however, said there is no consensus yet on how it should be done.

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Benitez national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, disclosed earlier that LCP “fully backs Charter change initiatives.”

Mayor Salvador Escalante revealed on Tuesday that private organizations have started the “people’s initiative” signature campaign in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, which he allowed. –  Jun Elias, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Delon Porcalla, Diana Lhyd Suelto, Gilbert Bayoran