PBBM seeks compromise in Cha-cha dispute

HANOI, VIETNAM - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is seeking a compromise between the House of Representatives and Senate in their ongoing dispute over the People's Initiative for Charter Change.

In a roundtable interview with the Philippine media delegation here on Tuesday, Marcos, a vocal advocate for economic reforms, said he wants to avoid politicizing the process and ensure a smooth path for the changes he desires.

"My primary goal is the economic provisions that I have been talking about for many years already," Marcos stressed, acknowledging how discussions often veer into politicized territory.

To navigate this complexity, Marcos revealed that he has been consulting "leaders of both Houses and some of the best Constitutional minds in the Philippines" to find a simpler solution.

The key issue revolves around the voting procedure, Marcos added.

"The best advice we are getting is that the legislature is of a bicameral nature," Marcos explained, indicating separate voting for the House and Senate.

However, Marcos said the finer details of this process are still being determined to ensure both chambers retain their roles within the bicameral system.

When asked about the fate of the People's Initiative itself, the President remained open-ended. "We haven't made a decision yet," he stated, acknowledging its ongoing course but leaving its future as one of the potential options unclear.

Seeking expertise, Marcos highlighted consultations with former chief justices, legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, and constitutionalists.

"We are asking them, 'What do you think is the most appropriate course of action?'" he said, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to finalize a suitable solution.

Earlier this week, the Commission on Elections said it has stopped indefinitely all its duties related to the ongoing people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution that has caused a rift between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The lead convenor of the People's Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action also admitted during a Senate session on Tuesday that he collaborated with House Speaker Martin Romualdez to secure 3 percent of signatures per congressional district for the Charter change (Cha-cha) initiative.

In response to Senator Imee Marcos' inquiry about whether the Speaker is endorsing the PIRMA group and fully supporting the people's initiative, Oñate said, "Yes, we coordinate with the Speaker and the congressmen in getting the 3% per congressional district. That’s correct, madam senator."

The Senate initiated an inquiry on Tuesday into the reported bribes during the signature campaign for Charter change. PIRMA, leading the signature drive, specifically asks voters if they support amending Article 17 Section 1 of the Constitution to allow all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments.

This proposed change differs from the current provision, which does not clearly specify whether the House of Representatives and the Senate should vote together or separately in constitutional amendments via a constituent assembly.

Controversy surrounds these attempts to amend the constitution through a people’s initiative, as some lawmakers claim that the public was allegedly offered bribes or promised government assistance in exchange for their signatures.

Senators criticized these efforts, believing that they were supported by the House of Representatives, particularly Speaker Martin Romualdez.