Senate remains watchful on movement of PI

SENATOR Win Gatchalian revealed that the Senate remains on guard on the movement of the People’s Initiative (PI) after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that it has indefinitely suspended the acceptance of signature sheets in connection with PI.

During his visit to Davao City on February 17, 2024, to distribute relief assistance to calamity-stricken areas in Davao Region and Agusan del Sur, the senator said that they are guarding the movement of PI to make sure that it will not advance.

“Nagbabantay ang Senado na hindi matutuloy ang PI kasi base do’n sa nababasa ko, ang grupong Pirma ay nag-issue ng statement at tuloy-tuloy pa rin sila kaya nagbabantay pa rin kami (The Senate continues to watch over the movement of PI to make sure that it will not be pushed through because based on what I’ve read, the group Pirma issued a statement and that they are pursuing it (PI), thus we are watchful),” Sen. Gatchalian said.

The People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action or Pirma is the group that sought to amend the 1987 Constitution through People’s Initiative.

In January, Pirma initiated the People’s Initiative in an attempt to get a valid number of signatures to amend the Constitution.

However, the Comelec decided to stop accepting the signatures because they wanted to review first the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the PI.

“The Commission en banc came up with a unanimous decision to suspend any and all proceedings concerning the People’s Initiative. Suspend muna namin lahat ng proseso kahit ang pagtanggap ng local Comelec ng mga signature sheets (We will suspend all processes, even the local Comelec’s acceptance of signature sheets),” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said during a press conference recently.

He added that based on their assessment, they needed to review, enhance, and add the IRR concerning the PI.

All senators signed a manifesto last month, expressing their disapproval of the PI as it allegedly involved bribery and other illegal activities.

Meanwhile, Sen. Gatchalian said that he personally is against PI because it will only lose the “check and balance” in the government.

“Pag natuloy to, isang kapulongan lang, isang tao lang magdedesisyon, kung amyendahan at ano ang amyendahan sa ating konstitusyon, kaya mawawala ang check and balance (If this [PI] will be pushed through, only one assembly, one person will decide if the Constitution will be amended, and what will be amended in our Constitution, thus the check and balance will be lost),” he said.

Gatchalian, together with the Local Government of Valenzuela, headed by City Mayor Wes Gatchalian, as represented by City Councilor Niña Lopez, distributed a total of almost P17 million in relief assistance to different municipalities in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Agusan del Sur in the form of rice. /