People’s Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action (PIRMA) – which aims gathers signatures from the people as a step to amend the Philippine constitution some legislators continues to support the push to have a charter change.
“Pero kung ako ang tatanungin, panahon na para baguhin natin ang ating saligang batas, panahon para baguhin ang economic provisions,” said Teves in an interview with EUROTV News.
House Deputy Majority leader and TGP partylist Representative Jose Bong Teves Jr. said they will continue to support the People’s initiative to completely change the constitution of the Philippines.
The legislators also criticized the allegations implicating of the name of House Speaker Martin Romualdez who is said to be the man behind the People’s initiative.
Romualdez initially denied the accusation of the lead convenor of the People’s Initiative that he was the one who proposed the signature campaign.
“Hindi po ako naininiwala dahil lahat naman po kami ay pinuntahan ng mga nagpapapirma, lahat naman kami ay kinausap. Ako kinausap ako kung pu-pwede ko pakiusapan ang aking mga kasama, kaya nagpaparticipate ako,” Teves added.
The lawmaker also said that House Speaker does not have a directive to each district legislator to spearhead the signature campaign.
Teves reiterates that legislators have the right to speak in their district, and let the people decide on their signature for promoting a change in the constitution.
“Yung marching order na… o mga kapwa ko Congressman, kayo ay tumulong sa pagpapapirma ng People’s Initiative… Wala pong sinasabi si Speaker nun. 100% wala pong direct order sa amin si speaker o kahit man lang sa iba’t-ibang tao na tulungan niyo ang People’s Initiative, wala pong ganoon, patutunayan ko sa inyo ako po ay hindi nasabihan,” Teves added.
Despite the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) suspending the acceptance of signatures from the People’s Initiative due to its perceived incompetency in its implementing rules and regulations, Teves said the public are still continuing to support the people’s initiative.
Albay representative Joey Salceda, on the other hand, said that the Senate serves as a ‘cemetery for charter change’, due to its frequent failure to pass previous proposals despite several times that the lower chamber Congress passed proposals seeking to amend the constitution.