HEADLINE-LAWS | People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action (PIRMA) head: Congressmen helped in signature drive

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Romualdez: I facilitated democratic process

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez and other congressmen helped in the signature campaign meant to amend the 1987 Constitution, the lead convenor of the People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action (PIRMA) told a Senate panel yesterday.

During the public hearing of the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos, PIRMA lead convenor Noel Oñate said Romualdez and some congressmen provided advisory and administrative assistance to the group to gather signatures from each of the 250 districts nationwide.

Romualdez, who had previously denied involvement in the signature drive for a people’s initiative, said in a statement that he merely served as an adviser and “facilitator for healthy democratic processes” when he met at his house last year with the PIRMA group.

“As Speaker of the House, I am committed to upholding the principles of democracy and facilitating discussions on matters of national interest. The meeting with the People’s Initiative representatives was an exercise in this commitment. My role, as misinterpreted by some, is not as an orchestrator but as a facilitator for healthy democratic processes,” he declared.

“It is crucial to clarify that while I support the spirit of civic engagement and participatory governance, my involvement in the People’s Initiative has been purely advisory and in no way extends to mobilizing or leading their signature campaign,” he added. “The initiative and its operations are entirely led and managed by the group themselves.”

Oñate said the same thing to the Senate panel.

Later in the afternoon, senators filed a resolution authorizing Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to challenge before the Supreme Court the constitutionality and validity of the latest people’s initiative for Charter change.

In her opening statement, Marcos took a jab at the proponents of the signature drive for PI, which many sectors believed originated from the House of Representatives.

Marcos presented a compilation of news video clips that showed ordinary citizens who were made to sign the people’s initiative even without proper explanations about the signature drive.

“Let’s watch a short video of the disease that has spread quickly through fooling others, wasting money and lying by greedy officials…That disease will end democracy and anyone who says that the Senate has nothing to do with the matter, I can only say one thing – there is no medicine for the thickness of your face,” she added.

The Commission on Elections has decided to stop the verification of the signatures gathered as part of the people’s initiative.

Despite the Comelec announcement that it has stopped accepting signatures for the people’s initiative, Marcos said there is a need to clarify what will happen to the signatures submitted to the commission.

Upon interpellation of Sen. Francis Escudero, Oñate claimed he did not meet with Romuladez but only with former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments.

Marcos grilled Oñate on a photo he posted on his Facebook account that showed him with Romualdez, Ako-Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co and several lawyers with the caption “People’s Initiative for Charter Change Staff Meeting” dated Jan. 8, 2024.

Oñate explained that he was the one who sought the meeting, which was agreed to be held at the residence of Romualdez in Makati City.

“That was the time that I coordinated with the Speaker… That was the time that I sought the help of the Speaker to help us in the signature campaign,” Oñate admitted.

Marcos further pressed Oñate if Romualdez was supporting the group PIRMA and is all-out behind the people’s initiative. The PIRMA convenor replied: “Yes, we coordinate with the Speaker and the congressmen in getting the three percent per congressional district. That’s correct, madam senator.”

When Escudero questioned why he did not mention Romualdez and Co, the chairman of the House committee on accounts, Oñate said, “It slipped my mind.”

P55 million TV ads

Escudero also asked Oñate about the cost of the printing of the people’s initiative forms but he claimed he was not aware of the cost.

“What I know is the figure in the airing of the advertisement which cost P55 million, ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA7,” the PIRMA convenor said.

The senator asked where the P55 million came from and Oñate claimed the money was his. The PIRMA convenor later said only half or P2.75 million was his money and the rest were donations from his friends, who gave him P0.5 million, P1 million and P2 million.

Oñate was initially hesitant to divulge the names of the donors but he was prodded by the senators. He vowed to furnish the committee the list of the names of donors of PI.

Sen. Grace Poe asserted that senators are not afraid of change, but any change must be for the good of the countrymen.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, meanwhile, called on the Filipino people to recall their signatures from the people’s initiative petition amid alleged payoffs and misinterpretation in the signature campaign.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito said due to the issue, squabbling has become an “all-out war” and “hell broke loose.”

“But based on the information we had gathered, it seems that there are strings attached (promises were made in exchange for the people to sign),” he added.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III manifested that PIRMA must be compelled to disclose the names of its donors who helped fund the television advertisements advocating for Charter change.

Witnesses

During the hearing, several witnesses were presented and disclosed how they were made to sign the PI. Some of the witnesses had their faces covered for fear of retaliation, while witnesses from Bukidnon bravely recalled how they were convinced to sign the petition.

A witness claimed the PI would change the economic provisions, but Dela Rosa asked, “How can the petition amend the economic provisions of the Constitution, but it contained political amendment, with the House of Representatives voting as one or jointly.”

“There were many promises so they could get our signatures. Now, those who signed are asking us about the promised benefits, where are the promised benefits,” said an unidentified witness who attended the hearing virtually.

Zubiri asked the witnesses if they signed the petition in exchange for financial assistance like Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) among others, to which they replied in the affirmative.

‘Atty. Abad’ summoned

The Senate committee has summoned Atty. Anthony Abad for his alleged participation in the signature campaign that seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Panel chair Marcos summoned Abad to yesterday’s hearing but he failed to attend as he was abroad.

Sen. Francis Tolentino motioned to subpoena Abad, who Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta described as the proponent of the said initiative.

Senators noted that Abad’s name is allegedly written in the forms used for the signature campaign.

“Atty. Anthony Abad appears to be the proponent of this initiative. Earlier, the House of Representatives appeared to be the villain. I am not representing the House of Representatives today. I was personally invited by the chairman to appear, but as a member, you cannot expect me not to take it personally because the criticisms directly point toward the House of Representatives, especially the Speaker,” Marcoleta told the panel.

“I am not defending the Speaker. If this congressional hearing ultimately finds that (it was) the Speaker who spearheaded or funded this initiative, I will probably request him to step down. But if it isn’t him, why don’t we concentrate on Abad?” he added.

Oñate said Abad is a lawyer and volunteer in the professional sector of PIRMA, as affirmed by former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Alfredo Garbin Jr.

Garbin also echoed PIRMA legal counsel Alex Avisado’s statement that Abad is one of those who started the people’s initiative.

Pimentel manifested that Abad’s picture be shown to the plenary.

Senators agreed that Abad could help shed light on the signature campaign that seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Dela Rosa also moved to subpoena to the next hearing other personalities involved in the signature drive.