Salceda: Cha-cha is only possible through people's initiative

House ways and means panel chair Joey Salceda of Albay's Second District on Wednesday said Charter change was only possible through people's initiative, because its passage is not certain under the Senate.

"The Senate is a cemetery [for] Charter change. The House has seen that going directly to the people is the way to go," Salceda said at the Kapihan Forum on Wednesday.

The 24-member Senate earlier unanimously released a manifesto condemning the ongoing people's initiative, which seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution by allowing all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments in a constituent assembly.

Salceda called on supporters of the ongoing people's initiative to wait for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

"Hihintayin namin 'yung Comelec (We will wait for the Comelec). By the way, our democracy operates, it is an independent body. We have to respect [it], that's the only way," he said.

On Monday, the Comelec suspended all proceedings related to the people's initiative to allow time for the review of the related IRRs.

For his part, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna Jr. told a Senate inquiry on Tuesday, however, that the Constitution only gives the Comelec powers to enforce and administer the law "not to complete it, not to perfect it, not to supply deficiencies."

Azcuna said Congress would need to pass a new law that would provide a clear system for people's initiative and referendum.

'Source of evil'

Meanwhile, Salceda asserted that if the political provisions were to be inserted in the Charter, he would strongly oppose it.

"I will vote no to any political amendments," he said, adding that only economic provisions must be amended to gain more foreign investments.

He also noted that the 1987 Constitution is the "source of all evil," which allows only the rich clans to dominate the country.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed doubt that people's initiative was still an option as a mode to amend the 1987 Constitution.

The issue has been a divisive one, particularly for the two houses of Congress.

Marcos is set to appeal to the House of Representatives and the proponents of the people's initiative to stop their ongoing efforts as these are "getting out of hand," according to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday.

Speaker Martin Romualdez has been tagged by his cousin Sen. Imee Marcos as the one behind the Cha-cha push. However, Romualdez has denied orchestrating alleged moves to offer cash and social services in exchange for signatures to support the people's initiative.

"I firmly deny any allegations of involvement in unlawful activities such as vote-buying related to this or any other initiative. Such practices are against my principles and the ethical standards of our government," he earlier said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News