‘No coercion or cash for people’s initiative’

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo gave assurance yesterday that there was no instruction from the House leadership to coerce signatories or offer cash incentives to push for a people’s initiative as a means to amend the Constitution.

Tulfo, representative of the ACT-CIS party-list, also denied the allegation of Vice President Sara Duterte that signature buying for the initiative is rampant in Davao City.

“There is no instruction from the higher ups to offer (money), as far as I know… Maybe it as an initiative of an individual or an official. I, myself, won’t allow that,” he said in Filipino in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.

Tulfo noted that even before the 19th Congress, the House was already keen on amending the restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution, but this did not progress.

However, before the Christmas break in 2023, House members realized that proposals for Charter change (Cha-cha) have not been moving, so they decided to push it this year.

“It was brought up, but never was it mentioned to force (promote it) by hook or by crook, and there were rumors that it would be a gift to the President (Marcos) for his SONA (State of the Nation Address) this year – there’s nothing like that. It was just discussed,” he added.

According to Tulfo, the House no longer interferes with the campaign for a people’s initiative, especially since session is about to resume on Monday and their hands are full with proposed legislation.

He said it is the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action or PIRMA that “keeps on doing it.”

“So, the ball is now with the Senate, not with Congress (House)… This coming Monday, we will pass many legislations, there are priority bills of the Marcos administration, so we will be focusing on them,” he added.

Barangay officials who will take part in a people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution will face sanctions, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said yesterday.

DILG Undersecretary for barangay affairs Felicito Valmocina gave the warning as he stressed that the department is taking a hands-off policy on moves to change provisions of the