Palawan bishop tells flock: Don't sign Cha-cha petition

A Catholic bishop on Thursday called on his flock in Taytay, Palawan to reject a signature campaign pushing for the changing of the 1987 Constitution through a people's initiative (PI).

"Mayroong isang hakbang na baguhin ang konstitusyon sa pamamagitan ng PI na humihiling sa mga tao na lumagda sa isang petisyon upang bumuo ng isang constitutional assembly na ang dalawang kapulungan ng kongreso ay samasamang buboto," said Apostolic Vicar Broderick Pabillo in statement.

(There is a move to amend the Constitution through a people's initiative, which calls for the public to sign a petition creating a constitutional assembly that will be voted on by Congress.)

"Babalewalain nito ang senado," he said, adding that there are over 300 congressmen in the House of Representatives and only 24 senators.

(This will render the Senate powerless.)

Some campaigners, the bishop said, are offering money in exchange for signatures.

"Baka gamitin ang madaliang pagpapatawag ng Barangay Assembly para dito. Sabihin sa mga tao na huwag pumirma! Hindi ito inisyatiba na galing sa mga tao kundi ng ilang mga politico," he said.

(They might use a hastily convened Barangay Assembly for this. Tell people not to sign this. It is not a people's initiative but the initiative of the politicians.)

Some lawmakers on Wednesday said they received reports of an alleged signature campaign for Charter change in some areas in the country, Jonathan Andal reported Wednesday on "24 Oras".

In Quezon City, a woman was caught on a video allegedly offering residents of Barangay Old Capitol Site to sign the petition in exchange for financial assistance on Jan. 6, Saturday.

The Bayan Muna party-list also said it received a report from San Mateo, Rizal where individuals were offered five kilograms of rice for a signature supporting Cha-cha.

In Bicol, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman claimed signatories received P100 each.

Campaign proponent

Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker Jill Bongalon earlier identified a certain lawyer Anthony Abad as the proponent of the push for a people's initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.

In a people's initiative, constitutional amendments are proposed upon a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of the registered voters therein.

"The signature campaign for Charter change is happening in the country, not just in the Bicol region. Ang nasa likod nito ay isang Atty. Anthony Abad, who will serve as the main petitioner for people's initiative," Bongalon said in a DZBB Super Radyo interview.

(The signature campaign for Charter change is happening in the country, not just in the Bicol region. The one behind this is a certain Atty. Anthony Abad, who will serve as the main petitioner for people's initiative.)

"Of course, there are members of Congress supportive of it... There are also other private organizations who are supportive," he added.

House lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez, have been advocating for the amendment of the Constitution.

In March 2023, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6, which calls for a constitutional convention (con-con) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

RBH 6 states that a con-con with elected delegates would draft the new constitution—"the most transparent, exhaustive, democratic, and least divisive means of implementing constitutional reforms." — VDV, GMA Integrated News