‘No coercion or cash for people’s initiative’

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo gave assurance yesterday that there was no instruction from the House leadership to coerce signatories or offer cash incentives to push for a people’s initiative as a means to amend the Constitution.

Tulfo, representative of the ACT-CIS party-list, also denied the allegation of Vice President Sara Duterte that signature buying for the initiative is rampant in Davao City.

“There is no instruction from the higher ups to offer (money), as far as I know… Maybe it as an initiative of an individual or an official. I, myself, won’t allow that,” he said in Filipino in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.

Tulfo noted that even before the 19th Congress, the House was already keen on amending the restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution, but this did not progress.

However, before the Christmas break in 2023, House members realized that proposals for Charter change (Cha-cha) have not been moving, so they decided to push it this year.

“It was brought up, but never was it mentioned to force (promote it) by hook or by crook, and there were rumors that it would be a gift to the President (Marcos) for his SONA (State of the Nation Address) this year – there’s nothing like that. It was just discussed,” he added.

According to Tulfo, the House no longer interferes with the campaign for a people’s initiative, especially since session is about to resume on Monday and their hands are full with proposed legislation.

He said it is the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action or PIRMA that “keeps on doing it.”

“So, the ball is now with the Senate, not with Congress (House)… This coming Monday, we will pass many legislations, there are priority bills of the Marcos administration, so we will be focusing on them,” he added.

DILG warns barangay officials

Barangay officials who will take part in a people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution will face sanctions, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said yesterday.

DILG Undersecretary for barangay affairs Felicito Valmocina gave the warning as he stressed that the department is taking a hands-off policy on moves to change provisions of the Constitution.

He said people who have information about barangay officials joining Cha-cha proponents may file a complaint before the DILG.

Among these are local officials helping people push for Cha-cha, who gather signatures from the public.

“If there are complaints against local officials, you may submit these to the DILG,” Valmocina said in Filipino in a news forum at the Dapo Restaurant and Bar in Quezon City.

Local officials found participating in efforts to amend the Constitution could be held liable, he said.

While barangay halls are off limits, Valmocina said Cha-cha proponents may use covered courts for their activities, provided they seek clearance from barangay officials.

“So, they would need large covered courts, to me, there’s nothing wrong with that if the barangay lets them use it,” he said.

Valmocina has received stories about barangay officials participating in efforts to shore up support for Cha-cha, but he declined to go into details in the absence of concrete evidence.

The DILG’s guidance to barangay officials, Valmocina said, is just to monitor the activities of groups pushing for Cha-cha, especially those who are getting signatures of people through harassment and intimidation.

“Barangays can investigate and make a report,” he said.

Meanwhile, over 100 members of various groups held a noise barrage at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus in protest of Cha-cha.

The demonstrators are composed of civil libertarians, lawyers, peasant advocates and farmers who have expressed their objection against the signature campaign to change the provisions of the Constitution.

The conference was organized by the Sentro para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (Sentra), Legal Assistance Center and Tanggol Magsasaka.

Sentra executive director Jobert Pahilga urged the public to oppose Cha-cha, as it will open the country to foreign domination and wholesale ownership of education, media organizations, advertising and public utilities.

“We must thwart the sinister attempts for a never-ending Marcos presidency,” Pahilga said in a statement. – Emmanuel Tupas