EDITORIAL - Signature campaign

The last time a signature campaign was conducted for a people’s initiative to amend the Constitution, it was struck down by the Supreme Court, and the defense chief at the time described it as a “legally harebrained idea.” Avelino Cruz Jr., a topnotch lawyer in the private sector before he joined the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, subsequently quit the defense post in November 2006.

This time, there are reports that a signature campaign is being launched as the House of Representatives makes another push ostensibly for economic Charter change, although certain lawmakers are saying broad political changes are also being eyed that would require a complete rewrite of the Constitution. Sen. Imee Marcos said yesterday congressional districts are being offered P20 million each to deliver people’s signatures supposedly meant to petition lawmakers to proceed with Cha-cha.

As the initiative was revived late last year by the House leadership, the head of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of laws, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, said he wanted Cha-cha to pave the way for the lifting of term limits including those for lawmakers. He also wants the number of senators doubled. This isn’t economic Cha-cha by any stretch of the imagination.

Senators have long rejected House-initiated efforts to rewrite the Constitution. If the reported signature campaign is true, it can only reinforce opposition to Cha-cha, and create more divisiveness and distraction that the country does not need. Even within the administration, there is disagreement on the need for Cha-cha. Rodrigo Duterte, who during his presidency created a panel to draft a new Constitution for a shift to federalism, this time says he is opposed to Charter change.

Amending the Constitution is not meant to be a walk in the park. Even if the House railroads approval of the initiative, it will need Senate cooperation. It will likely be challenged again before the Supreme Court, which can invalidate the effort, as it did in the Cha-cha signature campaign under Arroyo. Any final product must be ratified in a national plebiscite.

If the intent of Cha-cha is to make the country more attractive to