Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte slammed politicians anew behind the reported buying of signatures for a People’s Initiative to amend the Constitution.

Vice President Sara Duterte (Inday Sara Duterte/ Facebook)

The official expressed her dismay again the Charter change signature drive during an event in her hometown of Davao City.

“It’s an insult to ordinary and poor Filipinos. It reflects the character of politicians of vote-buying during elections,” she told GMA’s regional media on Monday, Jan. 22.

“So, nakakasama ng loob na ginaganoon ‘yung mga tao na kailangan pa sila suhulan para papirmahin sa People’s Initiative (So, it’s disappointing that they have to bribe people to sign the People’s Initiative),” she added.

Allegations of signature buying for a People’s Initiative have been running rampant for weeks, with Senator Ronald Dela Rosa alleging that House Speaker Martin Romualdez was behind the signature drive.

The Speaker has since denied the allegations, with Majority Floor Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe coming to his defense since Romualdez supports a constitutional convention for any amendments in the Constitution’s current economic provisions.

A People’s Initiative is defined in Republic Act 6735 as the “power of the people to propose amendments to the Constitution or to propose and enact legislations through an election called for the purpose.”

For it to work, at least 10 percent of the total registered voters in the country should sign the petition for the crafting of a new law.

It also requires the signature of at least three percent of registered voters in each legislative district.