Speaker Martin Romualdez brushed off Senator Imee Marcos’ allegation that he was the architect of the ongoing drive to muster signatures for a people’s initiative to revamp the Constitution.
“That is baseless... nagma-Marites siguro. I’d like her to prove it, and you know, she has the proper means and ways, and she can go to whatever court, the Comelec. Prove it because there are a lot of rumormongers in the Senate, a lot of speculations,” said Romualdez in a press conference on Friday.
The House chief made the remarks in reaction to Marcos’ allegation that his office offers P20 million each to legislative districts in exchange for their constituents’ signatures to push through with the PI.
The senator also alleged that the Speaker was behind the timeline for Charter change through a PI, to conclude by 9 July.
Not on good terms
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.
Marcos recently revealed she has not been on good terms with Romualdez since October last year when she sided with the Dutertes in their well-known row over confidential funds.
Romualdez also admitted that he hardly gets to speak with Marcos, but he said his lines are always open to settle their discourse.
“I respect her as my cousin, as my senator, and we leave it at that. Free anytime, she can give me a call, she can text me anytime, clarify anything. But if she prefers to do it in the media, that’s her prerogative, but there’s no truth to that,” Romualdez said.
“She’s making a lot of references, but I have nothing but the deepest respect, and of course, allow a cousin to help a cousin. We leave it at that. I respect her opinions but some of them I don’t necessarily agree with, and I don’t necessarily believe there is basis.”
Romualdez said the House is not endorsing or sanctioning the direct participation by its members in the signature gathering for a People’s Initiative, as he reiterated that he had no hand in the signature campaign that allegedly involves vote buying.
“I vehemently denounce any allegations of bribery or unethical practices in persuading citizens to sign the petition for a 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 that the process’s integrity and independence remain 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 all the 24 members of the Senate signed a manifesto expressing their strong opposition to the People’s Initiative.
Letter to Zubiri
On Thursday night, Romualdez sent a letter to Senate President Juan Miguel 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 who had met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other senators in Malacañang in an executive session earlier that day.
Zubiri earlier filed RBH No. 6 seeking a review and proposed amendments to certain economic provisions of the Constitution to “avert” a “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 said the President instead asked the Senate to take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution amid the reported push for a People’s Initiative by the members of the House.
“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.
Pimentel has his doubts
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel said the senators doubted the People’s Initiative campaign to amend the Constitution was a legitimate grassroots movement.
In a television interview on Friday, Pimentel was asked if he believed Romualdez when he said that the House supported the Resolution of Both Houses that would delve into the Charter’s economic provisions.
“That may be true. But then I think there was an agreement that the Senate would take the lead in studying these proposals to amend the economic provisions as well as in starting the ball rolling through a constituent assembly. So that was the obligation on the part of the Senate,” he said on CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“But on the part of the other party, with whom the Senate leadership was talking, the expectation was they would stop the ongoing signature campaign or so-called people’s initiative, which we doubt is from the people,” Pimentel said.