Imee: Romualdez's office behind P20M funds per district for signature drive

Senator Imee Marcos on Friday said that the office of his cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez was "definitely" behind the alleged P20-million allocations for congressional districts to push for the people's initiative and the timeline for Charter change (Cha-cha).

"Definitely, opisina niya ang nag-alok ng P20 million kada distrito. Definitely, nanggaling sa kanila 'yung very attenuated timeline na July 9… tapos na ang lahat, at ibibigay nila nang buong-buo itong economic provisions etcetera. So, definitely, that derived from his office with very clear numbers identifying the staff members and attorneys involved," Marcos said in a virtual interview with reporters when asked if Romualdez was behind the alleged bribery for people's initiative.

(Definitely, Romualdez's office offered P20 million per district. Definitely, the very attenuated timeline for the work to be done by July 9 came from them... They will give the economic provisions etcetera in their entirety. So, definitely, that derived from his his office with very clear numbers identifying the staff members and attorneys involved.)

This, however, was denied by Romualdez in a separate press conference which happened at almost the same time as Marcos' interview.

"Maraming Marites diyan sa Senate. All speculation," Romualdez said.

(There are a lot of rumormongers there in the Senate. All speculation.)

The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms chaired by Marcos is set to launch an investigation into the alleged offering of social aids to the public in exchange for their signatures for the people's initiative, which seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution and allow Congress to jointly vote on the proposed amendments to the fundamental law.

Marcos said the individuals behind the alleged bribes for signatures should be identified to exact accountability, adding that it might "lead to cases."

Marcos said the inquiry also seeks to clarify the law on the procedure of people's initiative.

Earlier, the senator filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the effectiveness of the law on people's initiative.

Former Supreme Court justices, officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), framers of the 1987 Constitution, members of People's Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action (PIRMA), and witnesses of the alleged bribery are among the resource persons that have been invited to the hearing.

Congressmen, including Romualdez, are always invited to attend the hearing, Marcos said, but senators will not call them "forcibly."

"Everything is possible. Tingnan natin baka gusto rin niyang (Romualdez) magpaliwag dahil tinuturo siya nang tinuturo para ipaliwanag niya at malinisan 'yung kanyang pangalan parati siyang sinisisi," Marcos said.

(Everything is possible. Let's see if Romualdez would like to explain things because he is being tagged as the person behind the ongoing people's initiative. He can clear his name, instead of receiving all the blame.)

"Baka type naman niya pumunta, tingnan natin. Ako, open ako, pakinggan natin lahat. Pero kinikilala naman natin ang inter-parliamentary courtesy, ina-uphold natin yan," she added.

(He might want to attend. Let's see. I'm open to listen to all parties. But we recognize inter-parliamentary courtesy. We uphold that.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News