Press Release - Transcript of Interview: Senator Risa Hontiveros with Karen Davila on ANC's Headstart

Q: There's so many things to talk about when it comes to charter change, right? So let's start first with what Rep. Joey Salceda said. He said a people's initiative is inevitable. They will get the signatures. Do you agree?

Senator Risa Hontiveros (SRH): In the first place, people's initiative, ba talaga yan? It's misleading to call any initiative a people's initiative kung hindi naman talaga ang taong bayan, yung mga kababayan natin, ang may pakana. But until this day, the complete cast of characters behind those forms that are being distributed, even behind the advertisement that came out. When those forms went out in the different localities, ayaw pa rin magpakilala. They're hiding behind a law firm. Is that what you call a people's initiative?

Add to that reports na binabayaran, 'di umano ng P100, ang bawat pirma na kinukuha sa ating mga kababayan. So how cynical is that? A way to propel a so-called people's initiative. Kung yung vote-buying na pinoproblema natin tuwing eleksyon ay ginagawa, 'di umano, pati sa ganitong political exercise in between elections. And for such an important topic as amending the very basic law of the land.

I think kung pagbabatayan natin yung reaksyon ng mga kababayan natin, just for example on social media, when this people's initiative came out, I don't think anyone should be overconfident na sure win na 'yang people's initiative nila. I remember the very widespread and strong reaction against such a move.

Q: Okay. You know, Representative Lagman alleged, right, that a hundred pesos was being given for signatures. I believe that was in the Bicol region. And he claimed that some mayors returned the money. And I spoke with Representative Garbin, and he said there was, there was no such funding that was being spread. Do you have information on this? I mean, do you believe it?

SRH: I think it's very possible, Karen, because when that ad came out, when the news came out about the forms being distributed at nagkakalap nga ng mga pirma, and this was in different areas, no, from Mindanao to the Visayas to Luzon. Yung iba dyan talagang may kasamang kwento na, binabayaran yung mga pirmang iyon. And there were later reports that a