House unfazed by Senate resistance, set on amending 1987 Constitution

Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Tuesday that the House will stick to its efforts to revamp the Charter through PI as the "purest form of democracy," free from irregularities and anomalies.

Romualdez made the remark on the heels of the Senate's strong opposition to the PI amid allegations of a signature-buying drive purportedly shepherd by the House.

"I vehemently denounce any allegations of bribery or unethical practices in persuading citizens to sign the petition for the People's Initiative. Such actions, if true, would violate the initiative's spirit of honest and voluntary participation and erode our democratic foundations," Romualdez said.

The House chief refuted claims that he had ordered members of Congress to collect signatures and carry on with the PI under threat of sanction.

"Our role is to facilitate and encourage democratic participation without direct involvement in signature collection. We are committed to ensuring that proposals are processed in accordance with legal and constitutional guidelines, maintaining the integrity of our Constitution in subsequent legislative actions," Romualdez averred.

The Senate on Tuesday released a manifesto—signed by all the 24 senators—condemning the ongoing PI efforts.

Senator Joel Villanueva said the upper chamber is no longer interested in pushing the Resolution of Both Houses 6, proposing amendments to Articles XII, XIV, and XVI of the Constitution.

Villanueva also accused the leaders of the House of being architects of the PI, which Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe vehemently criticized, deeming it "baseless" that cast a shadow over the collaborative efforts required for constitutional reforms.

"If Senator Villanueva's assertion holds true, it is disheartening that certain senators perceive ghosts without substantial evidence. Unjustly implicating Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in relation to the people's initiative only serves to foster unwarranted doubts and distractions," Dalipe said.

Dalipe took a jab at the senators, whom he said, over the past 36 years, repeatedly blocked efforts to revamp the "outdated" Constitution, depriving Filipinos of a better country.

“It is crucial that we set aside our differences and unite in our efforts to bring about meaningful constitutional reforms that will positively impact our nation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda asserted that the PI is a valid mode of amending the Constitution, which the Senate cannot deny.

"That is why, despite its broad powers to legislate, the Senate can issue only a statement against the People's Initiative. Ultimately, over and above the House and the Senate, the people are supreme and sovereign," Salceda said.

Last week, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tasked the Senate, dominated by Cha-cha opponents, to lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution.

Zubiri, however, bared that the President turned down efforts to tweak the 37-year-old Constitution through PI.

Despite Senate's withdrawal to Cha-cha, Romualdez is keen to relax the restrictive economic restrictions on entering foreign capital and investments in the country.

"Echoing my previous statements, the entry of foreign capital and direct investments is crucial for our economy. It necessitates a reexamination of the Constitution, particularly its economic provisions, to remove growth barriers," the Speaker said.