Zubiri says Marcos set to appeal to House, pro-Cha-cha groups to stop people’s initiative

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is set to appeal to the House of Representatives and individuals behind the people's initiative to stop the ongoing efforts as it is "getting out of hand," Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, citing the president's words, said.

In a privilege speech during Monday’s Senate plenary session, Zubiri disclosed that he met with the Chief Executive in his residence in Malacañang earlier in the day.

The meeting was also attended by Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

“The President is set to appeal to the House of Representatives and the other PI initiators to stop this dreaded people’s initiative or their version of people’s initiative,” Zubiri said.

“In his words, ‘It is getting out of hand,’” the Senate president added.

According to Zubiri, the President expressed the need to protect the bicameral nature of Congress which upholds the checks and balances of the Legislative Branch.

“We know the President ably served as a senator himself. He knows first hand the value of bicameralism. He knows that if the Senate’s approval is needed merely to change the name of a street, then the Senate cannot have a dispensable role in Charter change,” he said.

“We, in the Senate, thank the President for his commitment and we remain firm in our vigilance against any attempts to destabilize our democracy. We maintain that the ongoing people’s initiative is flawed and unconstitutional and offers no solution to the problems most urgently affecting our people,” he added.

Zubiri reiterated his appeal to the House of Representatives to adhere to the Constitution and abide by the intent of its framers.

“We remind the House of Representatives that the Constitution is not there to expand our powers as elected officials. Quite the opposite. It serves as a limit on the exercise of these powers. These limitations serve to protect the people, defend their rights, and promote their common welfare,” Zubiri said.

“As the Senate has said from the very start and we have said collectively in our manifesto, the Filipino people are our sovereign. All powers emanate from the people. Any measure that purports to promote, but in reality, goes against their interest by sowing discord and confusion, must be stopped at all costs,” he added.

Zubiri then hoped that the President’s directive will “reinforce the relationship” between the two chambers as co-equal branches of legislation and “one in our mandate of serving the people and no one else.”

Meeting with Marcos

At a press conference, Zubiri, who was joined by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, disclosed that it was Marcos’ secretary who reached out to him on Sunday afternoon and informed him that the president wanted to meet with him before he flies for Vietnam for a state visit.

Zubiri also shared the views of Enrile—who reportedly said that the checks and balances between two houses should be in place, as well as Bersamin, who acknowledged that the question being asked in the said people’s initiative was wrong.

After the meeting, Zubiri said that he was able to “sigh in relief” and he was “teary-eyed” when the Commission on Elections announced the suspension of all proceedings related to the people’s initiative.

In the discussion with Marcos, Zubiri said the President mentioned that he will be talking to Speaker Martin Romualdez and all others involved in these efforts.

“Alam naman niya na maraming congressmen na tumutulong sa initiative na ito [He knows that many congressmen are involved in this initiative],” he said.

“So now I think the President, the body language of the President is let’s go back to work. Let’s try to go back to normal. I think masyado nang mainit ngayon ang bakbakang pulitikal and I believe, he is trying to lower the temperature a bit para sa ganun ay hindi po tayo mawala sa ating unang tungkulin which is to pass legislation for the benefit of our country. And so, I thank the President for his message this morning which I am sharing with you today,” he said .

[The political bickering is heating up and I believe, he is trying to lower the temperature a bit so that we won't veer away from our duty which is to pass legislation for the benefit of our country.]

In welcoming the Comelec move, Zubiri also lauded the 43 legislative districts that did not submit their signatures to the poll body.

With the recent development in the Comelec, Legarda warned poll officers that they might face charges if they will defy the poll body’s resolution suspending the receipt of the signatures for the people’s initiative.

Amid the ongoing crisis between the Senate and the House, Zubiri said they will “try to stand above the fray…and be more statesman-like.”

“We will continue to work in a professional manner with the House of Representatives. We will try, I guess, to reach out leadership between the leadership of the House and leadership of the Senate and see how we can get a consensus na trabaho muna tayo [in working first],” he said.

“Of course, hindi na katulad noon na parang best of friends. I think we will work for the people professionally. Marami pa tayong bills na nakabinbin on bicam. Siguro after this, we can move on and discuss with the legislative work that is on hand,” he added.

Second meeting

This is not the second time that Zubiri met with Marcos to tackle the ongoing people’s initiative.

Earlier this month, Zubiri, Romualdez and Marcos met in Malacañang and reportedly agreed to halt the ongoing people’s initiative and let the Senate lead the discussions on the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Zubiri and two senior senators then filed RBH 6 to start the effort to amend the charter. Romualdez expressed support for this. However, the senators decided to sideline its deliberation on the resolution as they observed that the people’s initiative was still pushing through.

The Senate then issued a manifesto in which senators rejected the ongoing people's initiative gathering signatures for the proposed amendment on Congress voting "jointly" for Cha-cha.

Some senators, including Senator Imee Marcos, pointed to her cousin, Romualdez, as the person behind the people's initiative.

Romualdez, meanwhile, on Friday said that instead of criticizing the House, the Senate should address its supposed failure to approve the Marcos administration's priority legislation.

"Tapos na ang trabaho ng House of Representatives. Tapos na lahat ng assignment. Iyong senador, hindi pa tapos. Tapusin niyo ang trabaho niyo. Naghihintay ang mga Pilipino. Kadugay (you're slow)," Romualdez said.

[The work of the House of Representatives is done, all assignments. The senators, not yet. Finish your work. The Filipino people are waiting. You're slow.]

"Wala kayong pakialam sa PI (people's initiative)," Romualdez added. "Trabaho 'yan ng taumbayan. Ang Congress at senator, ang trabaho, legislation. PI is a power of the people. [You senators should] buckle down to work. There are only 24 of you, get your act together. Focus on your work. Stop hitting Congress and maintain parliamentary courtesy."  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News