Marcos: I don't know if people's initiative still an option

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has expressed doubt that people's initiative is still an option as a mode to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Talking to reporters in Hanoi, Marcos said the administration was gathering inputs from "the best constitutional minds" on how to come up with a solution that will not create too much controversy.

Asked about people's initiative as a mode for Charter change, Marcos said, "We don't know yet. We have not made those decisions yet."

"As of now, the peoples initiative is, they're continuing, but I don't know if that is still one of the options that remains for us," Marcos said.

What is the best option?

"That's what we are asking the former Chief Justices, our legal counsel, si Manong JPE (chief presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile)... That's what we are working on," Marcos said.

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 earlier said the president 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", citing Marcos' words.

A House divided

The issue has been a divisive one, particularly for the two houses of Congress.

The 24-member Senate released a manifesto condemning the ongoing people's initiative, which seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution by allowing all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments in a constituent assembly.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday responded to senators' "very toxic rhetoric" against him and the House of Representatives in connection with the ongoing signature campaign for people's initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Romualdez and presidential sister and senator Imee Marcos have also traded barbs.

Sen. Marcos on Tuesday defended the Senate against statement that it has no business meddling with the people's initiative for Charter change where she also alluded to Romualdez' involvement.

Romualdez responded to the apparent slight by his cousin.—Ivan Mayrina/NB/RF, GMA Integrated News