Imee: Speaker’s office behind PI

Senator Imee Marcos on Friday said the ongoing petition for the people’s initiative, allegedly conducted with the use of government funds, to amend the 1987 Constitution came from the office of Speaker Martin Romualdez.

According to Senator Marcos, her cousin, Romualdez, was the person behind the funding, including the timeline for the people’s initiative, which the senators are strongly against.

“Definitely, it was his office that offered P20 million for each district. Definitely, the very attenuated timeline, which suggested that it should be finished by 9 July, also came from his office,” she told reporters in a press conference when asked if she was convinced that Romualdez directed the people’s initiative.

“Defintely, so definitely that derived from this office with the very clear numbers identifying the staff members and attorneys involved,” she added.

Romualdez previously denied a hand in the signature campaign for a people’s initiative that allegedly involves vote buying.

“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 in a statement.

“The House does not endorse or sanction direct participation by its members in signature gathering, ensuring the process's integrity and independence remains intact,” he added.

He, however, noted that the lower chamber remains committed to supporting the people’s initiative, saying it is an “essential democratic process” that stands as a direct expression of the people’s will, and provides a means for citizens to propose constitutional amendments.

He issued the statement after the Senate, with all of its 24 members, signed a manifesto expressing their strong opposition to the people’s initiative.

On Thursday night, Romualdez sent a letter addressed to Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, reiterating the House majority’s commitment to the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 which proposes certain amendments to the constitution.

“In uniting under our values and principles, the leaders of the House of Representatives, recommit ourselves to the service of our people and the democratic ideals we are sworn to uphold. Together, we are steadfast in our resolve to cultivate a nation where democracy flourishes, economies thrive, and every Filipino is empowered to realize their fullest potential,” he said.

“We await the approval of the Senate of RBH No. 6 and we commit to adopt this measure pertaining to the amendments of the economic provisions of the Constitution,” he added.

The letter was sent to Zubiri after he met President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with other senators in Malacañang for an executive session earlier that day.

Zubiri earlier filed RBH No. 6 to seek a review and proposed amendments to certain economic provisions of the Constitution to “avert” the “Constitutional crisis” between the House of Representatives and the Senate

The concurrent resolution was also signed by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.

Zubiri claimed that President Marcos asked the Senate to instead take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution amid the reported push for the people’s initiative by the members of the lower chamber.

“The President agreed with us that the proposal was too divisive, and asked the Senate to instead take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution,” he said.

“In this way, we can preserve our bicameral nature of legislation,” he added.