House lawmaker denies offering cash for Cha-cha signature

House Assistant Majority Leader and PBA party-list representative Migs Nograles on Thursday denied offering cash in exchange for signatures in the people’s initiative (PI) for Charter Change (Cha-cha).

Nograles did not specify her accusers but during a Senate inquiry on the PI, a barangay chairman and a community coordinator identified the PBA party-list as the one who offered PI signatories “coupons” for financial assistance.

The lawmaker, however, said that this was impossible as she was out of the country for official business.

She also described the claims as mere "fairy tales."

“Once upon a time at habang bumabaha sa kanilang mga paligid, biglang ako na daw ang wicked queen of the south at mastermind. Namigay pa daw ako ng pera kapalit ng pirma. Pano ako makakapagbigay ng pera, paano ako makakapag mobilize ng mga tao eh I was out of the country?,” Nograles said.

(While there is flooding [in Davao region], I suddenly became "the wicked queen of the south." They claim that I distributed cash in exchange for signatures. How can I do that and mobilize people for such when I was out of the country?)

“If they are telling the truth, how can that be? Magic? I teleported myself?,” she added.

Nograles also challenged those who are making the accusations to prove their claims.

“Life is not a fairy tale and there will be evil people who will try to make you look bad. If I did something wrong, then file the case with the proper court,” she said.

"We reject these invented stories. What we want is the truth. And the truth is, I am not the wicked queen of the South, and I prioritize public service. Amid these intrigues and bullying, we will continue to serve the people,” added Nograles.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva earlier said that the Senate will continue to thwart illegal means to amend the constitution, including pressing on the Senate inquiry on the PI for Cha-cha. 

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been providing daily updates on the signatures gathered for people’s initiative for Cha-cha until it stopped accepting signatures last January 29, citing a lack of executory laws. 

The said signature campaign asks voters if they are in favor of amending Article 17, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution by allowing all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments in a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass). 

The present constitutional provision of amending the Constitution via Con-Ass as provided under Article 17 Section 1 does not explicitly state whether the bicameral Congress should vote jointly or separately on proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

As such, the House vote will overwhelm that of the Senate in a joint voting via Con-Ass since the House has over 300 members as compared to the Senate's 24. —VAL, GMA Integrated News