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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Prove it': Martin calls Imee's claim of P20M per district for PI signatures 'baseless' 

'Prove it': Martin calls Imee's claim of P20M per district for PI signatures 'baseless' 

Published Jan 26, 2024 08:26 am

At A Glance

  • House Speaker Martin Romualdez has brushed off as "baseles" Senator Imee Marcos' claim that he offered P20 million to every district in exchange for signatures to get the People's Initiative (PI) off the ground. 

20240126_121825.jpgHouse Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), Senator Imee Marcos (Speaker's office, Facebook)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has brushed off as "baseles" Senator Imee Marcos' claim that he offered P20 million to every district in exchange for signatures to get the People’s Initiative (PI) off the ground.

"That is baseless. Siguro kausapin niyo na lang siya, nagma-marites siguro, nakikinig sa mga marites," Romualdez said in a press briefing Friday, Jan. 26.

(Maybe you should just talk to her, maybe she listens to rumors, rumor-mongers.)

The ongoing signature campaign is part and parcel of the PI, which is among the constitutionally-enshrined methods of amending the existing Charter.

While Romualdez supports the PI movement, he has repeatedly denied direct involvement with it.

"I'd like her to prove it and--you know, she has the proper means and ways. She can go to whatever court, or the Comelec (Commission on Elections) to prove it," said the leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives.

"Kasi marites lang lumalabas sa Senate eh (The Senate has been producing these rumors). A lot of speculation. We leave it up to them," he said.

Once the PI petition is filed, it will be the Comelec's task to verify to supporting signatures.

At any rate, Romualdez has denied having any ill feeling toward Senator Marcos, who is his older cousin.

"I hardly get to speak to the good senator, my cousin...I've not had the opportunity to speak to her recently so I don't even know where all of this is coming from about her interpreting how I am kasi nagtatampo ako (because I supposed have bad feelings).

CLICK HERE:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/22/no-orders-from-romualdez-to-collect-signatures-for-people-s-initiative

"Hindi ako nagtatampo sa kanya (I don't have any bad feelings toward her). I respect her as my cousin, as my senator, and we leave it at that," he said.

"I'm free anytime, she can give me a call, she can text me anytime. If she prefers to do it out with the media, that's her prerogative, but there's no truth to that," Romualdez further said.

"She’s making a lot of references but I have nothing but deepest respect, and of course allow a cousin to help a cousin. We leave it at that. I respect her opinions but some of them I don’t necessarily agree with and I don’t necessarily believe there are basis," he added.

Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district representative and president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, is known to be very close to President Marcos, the lady senator's younger brother.

Related Tags

Sen. Imee Marcos signature People’s Initiative Martin Romualdez
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