(Eagle News)–The Commission on Elections has suspended people’s initiative proceedings aimed at amending the 1987 Constitution.
In suspending “everything,” including the acceptance by Comelec local offices of signatures required to file a petition for the proposal, indefinitely, the poll body noted that there was a need to review and revise people’s initiative guidelines contained in Comelec Resolution No. 10650.
The indefinite suspension was welcomed by senators, who had earlier already expressed concerns over the initiative spearheaded by the PIRMA group, or the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization.
“This so-called ‘people’s’ initiative (PI) proposes only one change: in acting as a constituent assembly, the Senate and the House shall vote jointly,” the Senate earlier said in its manifesto issued after signature forms were submitted to the Comelec as part of the PIRMA initiative in the provinces.
The Senate warned that voting jointly in a constituent assembly would not allow its 24 members to “cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives.”
“While it seems simple, the goal is apparent to make it easier to revise the Constitution by eliminating the Senate from the equation. It is an obvious prelude to further amendments, revisions, or even an overhaul of our entire Constitution,” the manifesto added.
Senator Joel Villanueva welcomed the Comelec’s suspension, but urged the public to remain vigilant.
Senator Nancy Binay echoed the same sentiment.
“Pero sa kabila nito, nanindigan pa rin tayo na dapat mas paigtingin pa natin ang pagbabantay sa umiikot na pagpapapirma sa ating mga purok, barangay, sa mga kalsada’t plaza, sa mga pagpapatipon, at iba pang lugar,” she said.
Senator JV Ejercito, for his part, said he was “glad to know that there are still many government officials who are sensible, who respect our Constitution, and who will defend our democracy in the face of sinister attempts to subvert it.”
The PIRMA group has said its efforts to amend the Constitution are geared toward opening up the Philippine economy to foreign investors, establishing a unicameral form of government, among others.
It has also denied allegations it was offering a sum of money in exchange for signatures, saying anti-Charter change groups were just concocting stories.