PI not a done deal yet

The principal movers behind the signature-gathering for Charter change (Cha-cha) remain unfazed despite the latest Senate rejection to amend the country’s 1987 Constitution by people’s initiative (PI) mode. Buoyed by what they call as the “momentum” of their nationwide signature drive, the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (PIRMA) reckons to get the mandated 12 percent of registered voters to sign up their Cha-cha petition within the next two to three months.

Since the launching of the PI signature drive on January 2 this year, PIRMA lead convenor Noel Oñate disclosed they have been able to gather about 2.5 million signatures for the past three weeks. Oñate, however, admitted this number is still short of the required 12 percent of the total registered voters. Per the Commission on Elections (Comelec) count, this is equivalent to eight million out of the total of 67 million registered voters all over the country.

Oñate clarified PIRMA is not seeking the abolition of the Senate. In particular, he stressed, the soon-to-be-filed PIRMA petition for PI will push for both chambers of the 19th Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives – to vote jointly as a Constituent Assembly (con-ass). The 1987 Constitution provided con-ass, or constitutional convention (con-con), or PI as the modes to amend its provisions.

But as of Wednesday, Oñate announced at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum that PIRMA will still have to complete and submit the PI signatures from the remaining 70 out of the 254 congressional districts nationwide. This is to comply with the required three percent signatures of registered voters per congressional district.

While Comelec chairman George Garcia confirmed this during our Kapihan sa Manila Bay, he hastened to explain the signatures submitted must still undergo a series of process at the Comelec before being certified. From the initial screening of the PI signatures submitted from the local offices of the Comelec, Garcia noted, some of the legislative districts even submitted up to 15 to 30 percent more than the required signatures.

“The trigger point to start it (Cha-cha) all is for PIRMA to file to Comelec a