Binay says ‘fake’ people’s initiative to have negative impact on economy

Senator Nancy Binay on Sunday decried what she described as a “fake” people’s initiative to push for Charter change, saying this would have negative implications on the economy and that blame should not be directed at the Senate.

In a statement, Binay reiterated that the Senate is not behind the people’s initiative, and the upper chamber remains committed to addressing economic issues, but she said it will not allow individual interests to prevail.

“Hindi po nanggaling sa Senado ang paglarga ng pekeng people’s initiative… Alam naman po ng lahat kung saan ito nagsimula, binuo at inilatag,” she said.

“Dapat alam po ng mga taong nasa likod ng people’s initiative na may negatibo’t direktang impact and mga ganitong patagong galawang Cha-cha sa ating ekonomiya, pero itinuloy pa rin nila,” she added.

(The fake people’s initiative did not come from the Senate… Everyone knows where this was stated, crafted, and laid down.

The people behind the people’s initiative should know that this covert movement on Charter change has a negative and direct impact on our economy, but they still continued with it.)

In the same statement, Binay said the Senate has already demonstrated its “pro-development” and “pro-progress” stance as seen in the passage of measures such as the Public Services Act (PSA), Foreign Investments Act (FIA) and the Retail Trade Liberation Act.

“Investors value stability, and we are dedicated to addressing this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Rest assured, the Senate’s commitment to economic growth and foreign investment remains unwavering,” she said.

“Hindi po natin hahayaang manaig ang interes ng iilan, kasi palaging talo ang taumbayan, (We will not allow individual interests to prevail, because public interest will lose)” she added.

The 24-member Senate last Tuesday released a manifesto condemning the ongoing people’s initiative, as it expressed concerns that further changes to the 1987 Constitution can be made with or without the Senate’s approval and even absent all the senators.

This comes as the ongoing people’s initiative would allow voting jointly in a constituent assembly, which would not allow the senators to cast a “meaningful vote” against the 316 members of the House of Representatives.

Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier this month said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself backed efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution through a people’s initiative, adding that the president asked the Senate to take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution

The President’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, earlier filed a resolution seeking a Senate revision on the efficacy of Republic Act 6735, a law providing for a system of initiative and referendum amid reported efforts to gather signatures to push for the amendment of the Constitution.

She also cited reports of efforts to buy signatures in favor of the campaign, ranging from P100 to as much as P1,000, along with supposed proposals for social protection funds in exchange for signatures.

The senator last week also claimed the office of her cousin, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, was behind the alleged P20-million allocations for congressional districts to push for the people’s initiative and the timeline for the Charter change.

This was denied by Romualdez, saying “Maraming Marites diyan sa Senate. All speculation” (There are a lot of rumormongers there in the Senate. All speculation.)

Romualdez earlier wrote a letter to Zubiri, assuring the Senate that the House will adopt Senate’s Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution or any people’s initiative led by the Senate.—RF, GMA Integrated News