Senators issue manifesto rejecting people’s initiative

Marcos open to political Cha-cha, but not at this time

MANILA, Philippines — Senators unanimously signed a manifesto yesterday rejecting the “brazen attempt to violate the Constitution, through the people’s initiatives” perpetrated allegedly by people identified with Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri read the two-page manifesto signed by all 24 members, including Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III.

The manifesto was a product of a three-hour all-senators caucus late Monday.

During the caucus, indignant senators castigated the House for allegedly plotting to emasculate the Senate in the latest Cha-cha drive through people’s initiative, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said.

“Today, the Senate once again stands as a bastion of democracy, as it rejects this brazen attempt to violate the Constitution, the country and our people. This Senate of the people will not allow itself to be silenced,” Zubiri said at the plenary yesterday.

“If this PI (people’s initiative) prospers, further changes to the Constitution can be done with or without the Senate’s approval or worse, even absent all the senators,” he said.

“Should Congress vote jointly in a constituent assembly, the Senate and its 24 members cannot cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives,” he added.

“We respect and recognize the people as our sovereign, with the right to call for constitutional amendments. We must, however, guard against any sinister and underhanded attempt to change the Constitution by exploiting our democratic process under the guise of a people’s initiative,” the Senate President said.

“The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It is an enduring symbol of our democracy and the foundation of our nationhood and reflecting the consensus of our citizenry,” he pointed out.

He lamented that proponents of people’s initiative are pushing for one change, which is to make the Senate and the House convene as a constituent assembly and vote jointly.

“To allow joint voting will destroy the delicate balance on which our hard-won democracy rests. It will destabilize the principle of bicameralism and our system of checks and balances,” he pointed out.

“While it seems simple, the goal is apparent – to make it easier to revise the Constitution by eliminating the Senate from the equation. It is an obvious prelude to further amendments, revisions or even an overhaul of our entire Constitution,” Zubiri added.

“This singular and seemingly innocuous change in the Constitution will open the floodgates to a wave of amendments and revisions that will erode the nation as we know it,” he warned.

With both houses of Congress voting jointly, the Senate would be left powerless to stop even the most radical proposals, he explained. “We cannot protect our lands from foreign ownership, we cannot stop the removal of term limits or a no-election scenario in 2025 or worse, in 2028.”

Zubiri described as “ridiculous that the Senate, a co-equal chamber of the House, which is needed to pass even local bills, will have a dispensable and diluted role in Charter Change – the most monumental act of policymaking concerning the highest law in the land.”

He maintained that throughout Philippine history, the Senate has always been “one of the first targets by those who seek to undermine our country’s democracy.”

Void signatures

Villanueva, for his part, said President Marcos should ask the Commission on Elections to invalidate the signatures gathered by proponents of people’s initiative.

He said the Senate is no longer interested in pushing for Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH6) as the signature campaign under people’s initiative is still ongoing.

“It’s obviously the main reason why a lot of the senators are not interested anymore in pushing for the joint resolution,” Villanueva told reporters.

Zubiri had filed RHB6 proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution as well as a stop to people’s initiative, for which no group has so far directly claimed credit.

Marcos open to political Cha-cha, but

Marcos, in an interview with GMA News yesterday, expressed openness to political changes in the Constitution, but said this should not derail economic Cha-cha.

He cited term limits that have been circumvented through the succession of incumbents by their relatives, but who continue to run the area. In Ilocos Sur, he said, there are terms for such officials, such as “mayor vice.”

Marcos said the Constitution “was not written for a globalized world” and economic restrictions need amendment. But he is against lifting restrictions on foreign ownership of land and critical industries such as power generation and mass media.

He stressed, however: “I don’t want to jeopardize the success of the amendments of economic provisions by putting in other provisions… I don’t want to confuse the issue.”

Earlier, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa claimed getting information from a Davao congressman that residents in communities are made to sign people’s initiative petition in exchange for P100 to P300 in claim stubs.

He did not name the congressman

As the Senate prepares to deliberate on Charter change with the resumption of session on Monday, Sen. Cynthia Villar made a plea for discernment and courage as she led the chamber’s opening prayer.

“May our collective action resonate with the true voice of the Filipino people, maintain the integrity of our Constitution and uphold checks and balances that fortify our democracy,” Villar said.

“Let our decision be grounded in your will, aligned with the democratic principles that are the foundation of our nation. Keep us vigilant in preserving transparency and true representation and in protecting our nation from the perils of self-interest and deceit,” Villar added.

As senators try to come to terms with developments in the Cha-cha drive, Sen. JV Ejercito called on the House leadership to make a statement against taking the route of people’s initiative toward a constituent assembly (con-ass), where Congress votes jointly instead of separately.

“There should be a statement from them to stop the people’s initiative to avert conflict and friction and a constitutional crisis,” Ejercito said.

“The House leaders should make a categorical statement to douse water on this tense situation,” he added.

Ejercito reminded House leaders and members of a deal between Romualdez and Zubiri during a meeting with President Marcos on Jan.11 that Charter change initiatives should focus on economic provisions.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla, an advocate of federalism, said he is in favor of Charter change but not at the expense of the Senate.

Padilla also expressed support for the creation of a Senate subcommittee under Sen. Sonny Angara to review the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Helen Flores