Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Tuesday aired strong opposition to the push for the People’s Initiative petition to amend several provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Dela Rosa called out the move, saying it is now sounding more like a “Politicians’ Initiative.”

He stressed some politicians are crossing the line by proposing changes in the Charter's political provisions, such as efforts to lengthen terms limits of elected officials.

“Pangit 'yan (term extension). Bakit nagkakaroon ng limitasyon ang term? Dahil noon pa, mamamatay na lang, ikaw pa rin ang mayor. Walang palitan dahil perpetuation to power ang ginagawa niyo,” Dela Rosa said. 

“Give others a chance. Kaya nga lumabas sa Constitution ‘yan dahil ‘di ‘yan maganda, perpetuation to power,” he added.

Amendments to the Constitution may be directly proposed by the people through 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 three percent of the registered voters therein.

A petition will be filed before the Commission on Elections en banc after enough signatures are gathered. 

Dela Rosa criticized the brewing plan to amend Article 17 under Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution, which provides: “Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by the Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or a constitutional convention.”

He also questioned efforts to allow members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to vote jointly in a constituent assembly.

“’Yung pinapaikot nila ngayon na people’s initiative… I am against [that]. Paano kami papayag? Mawawala na ang bicameralism, mawawala pa ang checks and balances. Kung ano ang gusto nila, sila lang masusunod. Kahit ayaw namin, overruled kami dahil 24 [senators] against 322 [congressmen]. Saan ka makakakita ng checks and balances n’yan?” Dela Rosa said in a press conference at the Senate. 

Dela Rosa lamented that such a move would remove the checks and balances in the bicameral system of the Legislative Department. 

“Kung ano ang gusto ng liderato nila sa House, ‘yun ang masusunod. Ang Senado, dekorasyon na lang. Wala nang gamit,” he stressed.

Dela Rosa hinted that the ongoing PI movement is backed by the personal interests of some politicians as he disclosed that in Davao City alone, people were offered P100 to P3,000 in exchange for their signatures. 

“Hindi ko man nilalahat, pero marami kasing pumasok sa gobyerno para sa pansariling kapakanan. Hindi ‘yung kapakanan ng bayan. That’s the brutal truth about it… Hindi iniisip ang bayan,” he said.

The senator backed the Senate's move to lead a Charter review limited only to economic provisions.