1987 Constitution framers shouldn't have enshrined PI if it was a bad idea--Salceda
At A Glance
- Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda underscored on Thursday, Jan. 18 the constitutionality of the ongoing People's Initiative (PI) movement for Charter change (Cha-cha).
Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda (Facebook)
Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda underscored on Thursday, Jan. 18 the constitutionality of the ongoing People’s Initiative (PI) movement for Charter change (Cha-cha).
"We're not doing anything outside of the Constitution. I mean this process is not doing anything outside of the Constitution," Salceda said in a press briefing Thursday afternoon, Jan. 18.
The House Committee on Ways and Means chairman was asked to react to lawyer Christian Monsod's recent pronouncement wherein the latter said that the 1987 Constitution didn't need to be changed since it was working.
Monsod is one of the framers of the existing Charter.
"Eh di sana tinanggal na lang nina Christian Monsod yung concept of the PI. Wala naman yan nung 1972 Constitution," Salceda said.
(Then Christian Monsod and the other framers should have just left out the concept of PI. That wasn't in the previous 1972 Constitution.)
"They (framers of 1987 Constitution) introduced it precisely because of the fear that politicians will essentially control the Con-con (Constitutional convention)," the Bicolano said.
READ THIS:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/17/senate-s-surprising-pro-cha-cha-move-vindicates-house-dalipe
The PI and Con-con are two of the modes by which Cha-cha can be implemented. The key difference is that the PI is viewed to have more participation from the public, as it is fueled by a signature campaign.
But that hasn't stopped elected House of Representatives members--Salceda being just one of them--from openly supporting PI and the ongoing signature drive.
As for the continuing allegations from in and out of Congress that the lawmakers themselves are the ones behind the PI, Salceda has this to say:
"Of course, it's nice to...'House initiative PI' is a nice headline. But basically you cannot do it, you still need to live by the spirit of the PI as enshrined in the Constitution, that it is the people."