Cha-cha bribes a ‘myth’ — House
The lawmaker said he was present at several meetings and testified that there was no mention of bribes to push for amendments in the 1987 Constitution.
Daily TribuneThe lawmaker said he was present at several meetings and testified that there was no mention of bribes to push for amendments in the 1987 Constitution.
Reports of bribes from the leadership of the House of Representatives in exchange for the mustering of signatures required under a People Initiative for Charter change, or Cha-cha, were refuted by a chamber leader.
In a radio interview on Saturday, House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo debunked allegations that the House is spearheading the ongoing signature-buying drive for Cha-cha in various regions, including Davao, where Vice President Sara Duterte and her brother, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte professed their opposition to the move.
"There is no instruction from the leadership to offer bribes, as far as I know," Tulfo said.
The lawmaker claimed he was present at several meetings and testified that there was no mention of bribes to push for amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
"Maybe that's just the (local) officials’ initiative," he said.
Cha-cha as a ‘gift’
He went on to say, "I was there during a couple of meetings with the Speaker and senior leaders of the House as well as the political party leaders. It was discussed, but never was it mentioned to force a way by hook or by crook because there was news spreading that [Cha-cha] would be a gift to the President in his SoNA this year."
Recent reports said members of Congress from the supermajority coalition had launched a Cha-cha campaign via a PI after their initial proposal to amend the Charter through a constitutional convention languished in the Senate last year.
On Friday, Vice President Duterte took a jab at politicians suspected of being behind the buying of signatures in the PI effort.
Back in December, House leaders announced their renewed attempt at Cha-cha, which the majority in the Senate opposed.
But in a sudden turn of events, the Senate softened its stance after receiving marching orders from the President to take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution, which resulted in the filing of Joint Resolution 6.
