Senate taking people’s initiative issue to SC

MANILA, Philippines —   The people’s initiative to amend the Constitution might be challenged by the Senate before the Supreme Court (SC), Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said yesterday.

Pimentel said the Senate is planning to file a petition before the SC or the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to stop the signature campaign for a people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Asked for details about the planned legal action, he said the Comelec could be questioned for “receiving signatures from an unknown entity and executing its ministerial duty of counting signatures.”

The case could be filed with the Comelec itself “to ask them to stop what they are doing,” Pimentel said, “and/or the SC to prohibit Comelec from continuing to do what they have been doing under their jurisdiction of a ministerial duty.”

The Senate minority leader said senators would hold a planning session this weekend to put “finishing touches” on the petition.

During the plenary session on Tuesday, Pimentel pointed out the issue raised by Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva of other possible steps or actions to be taken by the Senate to address the PI.

“Maybe we should appeal to our compatriots, before signing, do not sign the rotating people’s initiative because the agenda is hidden. Hidden in the heavy and beautiful words about the constitutional amendment procedure,” he said.

He supported Villanueva’s idea of launching a movement for those who have signed to encourage them to withdraw their signatures as the main idea was not really explained to them.

“Because the Comelec accepts the given paper with a signature so therefore Comelec is following a certain procedure. They said they have a resolution. But Comelec cannot give power unto itself. Therefore, there must have been a law authorizing the Comelec to receive these signatures and following procedures, pursuant to the resolution promulgated by the Comelec,” he said.

Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda said the 12 percent threshold requirement for voters’ signatures have been achieved nationwide, apart from the three percent in the district level.

“It’s already 12.1 percent. It’s a point of no return. Let the