President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not enthusiastic about advancing the people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution, Senator Imee Marcos revealed on Sunday.

Referring to a past discussion with her brother, Senator Marcos emphasized that even the president is opposed to the purported efforts by the House of Representatives to push for a Charter change.

“I should have been the one to lead the Charter change. However, when we talked about it, several times before Bongbong is not yet a president, said he didn’t like it,” she said in a radio interview.

She added: “He was very concerned about the economic recovery of the country, which has yet to recover from the pandemic, the increasing prices of basic commodities, and most of all, the prices of fuel.”

“We have so many problems. He said: ‘Let us not be distracted. Even though it is right to amend it, it is not the time,’” the presidential sister said.

Senator Marcos, who has repeatedly expressed her opposition to Charter change, said that if the House of Representatives wanted to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution, it should have pointed out what it wanted to amend.

“They never presented us with a list of economic provisions they wanted to amend. Did they ever point out the economic provisions they want to amend?” she said. “That is why it casts doubts. In my opinion, maybe they have other motives; hence, they could not mention any.”

Last week, several members of the House of Representatives called out the alleged pay-offs in various districts across the country in exchange for the public’s signatures for Charter change via People’s Initiative.

According to Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the proponents of Charter change in his province encouraged voters to sign the petition for people’s initiative in exchange for P100.

Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte also warned his constituents against certain groups advocating for people’s initiative in exchange for money.

“I am against this People’s Initiative as this is not the people’s voice but the voice of a few who wanted to perpetuate themselves in power,” Duterte said in a Facebook post.

“To all Dabawenyos, do not sell your soul for a mere P100 or 10,000 in exchange for your signature. If you want to follow the minions of the person dreaming to be great in Congress to perdition, that is your choice,” his post read.

‘Project PI’

When questioned whether Speaker Martin Romualdez was behind the so-called “Project PI” to amend the constitution, Senator Marcos claimed that all the evidence pointed to him.

“Perhaps, because nobody wanted to get associated with the project called PI. The problem, however, is that all of his staff — their numbers — were the ones being used to text the people about it,” she said.

“You cannot blame the people if it is being attributed to him. Even if he admits it or not. Well, it is quite trendy now — confirmation by denial,” she added.

Romualdez, their first cousin, has yet to issue a statement about the ongoing push for Charter change via People’s Initiative that is being linked to him.

President Marcos previously ordered a study on the possible amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

However, Senator Marcos said her brother was just being “polite” when the latter issued the remarks.

“Honestly, when he said, ‘Let us study.’ It means, ‘Let us set it aside because we have so many things to do.’ Maybe that is his polite way of saying no,” she added.

Vote buying

Senator Marcos also criticized the alleged distribution of pay-offs to lure people to sign the petition for People’s Initiative.

“As long as there is vote buying, it is already a different topic. It is no longer a free election because it is already a paid election,” she said.

The lawmaker further noted that there are other things that the proponents of Charter change through People’s Initiative have to consider.

Citing the Supreme Court decision on Santiago v. Commission on Elections in March 1997, she said the country has “no system or procedure for People’s Initiative.”

“There should be a clear process, unlike what is happening now,” she said, adding that the petition for the People’s Initiative includes a provision letting the House of Representatives and the Senate jointly or separately vote to amend the Constitution.

“The proponents of the petition admitted that they really wanted to outvote the 24 senators to the pool of more than 300 congressmen who are supporting it,” she said.

Under Section 1 of Article 17 of the 1987 Constitution, the resolution states that any amendment to, or revision of, the Constitution may be proposed by: (1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or (2) A constitutional convention.

A revision to the current Charter may be done through a People’s Initiative upon a petition of at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3 percent of the registered voters therein.

Senator Marcos claimed that the Senate would not allow itself to be in the position where it would be set aside in the process of amending the Constitution.

“Of course, we must not allow it to happen. We will be set aside; we will not participate. What kind is that? It is no longer a Congress then if they are the ones who will do it,” she said.

“It may not be the right way because there should be a national perspective which only the senators can provide,” Senator Marcos added.