Bato to House solons: Admit you’re behind people's initiative

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Wednesday said he has no problem with the supposed completion of the signature campaign for Charter change, but the House of Representatives must admit that they’re behind the people’s initiative.

"Wala problema yan. We can do that. Sige lang. Basta sa akin lang, umamin sila na sila ang nasa likuran nito. Bakit naman ‘di nila aaminin kung hindi sila talaga ang nasa likuran nito?” Dela Rosa said at a press conference at the Senate.

[I have no problem with that. We can do that. But for me, they should admit that they're behind the (signature drive). Why wouldn't they admit to something if they really weren't behind it?]

“Ibig sabihin mayroong hidden agenda pero ikinakahiya nila ang people’s initiative na yan. Bakit hindi nila angkinin? ‘Di ba? Magpakalalaki tayo. Kung kayo nasa likuran d’yan, sabihin mo [ang] totoo. Do not fool the Filipino people,” he added.

[It means they have a hidden agenda but they are ashamed of the people's initiative. Why don't they own it up. Be man enough. If you are behind it, tell the truth. Do not fool the Filipino people.]

Last Monday, Dela Rosa said that he was informed by a member of the House that they were ordered by Speaker Martin Romualdez to push for the people's initiative.

On the same day, Romualdez denied Dela Rosa's claim. On Tuesday, the Speaker said the House only facilitates the democratic process of a people's initiative, and this excludes direct involvement in the signature collection.

Earlier on Wednesday, Albay Representative Joey Salceda said proponents of the people's initiative to change the 1987 Constitution by allowing both the Senate and House to jointly vote on the proposed amendments have gathered the required number of signatures needed to file their petition.

Salceda made the statement a day after the 24-member Senate released a manifesto condemning the ongoing people's initiative, asserting that the move would "make it easier" to change the Charter by "eliminating the Senate from the equation."

However, Salceda said that everybody, including the senators, should now heed the call of the people and wait for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to verify the signatures instead of casting doubts on the motives of the people's initiative proponents.

The signature campaign, led by a certain Anthony Abad, asks voters if they are in favor of amending Article 17 Section 1 of the Constitution by allowing all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments.

Gathering signatures is just the first step in the long process of amending the 1987 Constitution via a people’s initiative. A petition would still have to be filed by the proponents, and the signatures would have to be verified by Comelec, among other steps of review.

READ: How does a people's initiative works

As of 11:30 a.m. of January 24, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said there are 287 legislative districts with election officer certifications.

Garcia earlier stressed that the Comelec has yet to receive enough signatures from towns and cities for a plebiscite to happen in a six-month timeline, as supposedly targeted by its proponents.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. told GMA Integrated News in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that the 1987 Constitution was not crafted in the context of a global community, and that revising the economic provisions should be prioritized over the political changes.

The President also said that the Comelec should be allowed to do its job, including validating the submitted signatures. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News