'Our hands are full': House members too busy to attend Imee's PI probe
At A Glance
- Members of the House of Representatives are too busy to attend the Senate's investigation on the signature campaign in connection with the People's Initiative (PI) scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Members of the House of Representatives are too busy to attend the Senate's investigation on the signature campaign in connection with the People’s Initiative (PI) scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe gave this gracious reply on Monday, Jan. 28, to the public invitation extended by Senator Imee Marcos on the inquiry.
“While we appreciate Senator Marcos' open invitation to the Senate probe, it seems we in the House have our hands full crafting legislation aimed at enhancing the lives of our fellow Filipinos. It's a demanding task, but someone's got to do it,” Dalipe said.
“Perhaps while we focus on building bridges, others seem more inclined to hunt for witches," Dalipe said in what can be described as a shot at the Senate.
"But rest assured, should our legislative schedule allow, we'd be more than willing to engage in fruitful discussions, preferably ones that construct, not deconstruct, our collective efforts for national progress,” he said.
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https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/14/acop-confirms-pi-signature-drive-in-antipolo-says-there-s-no-bribery
The 300-member House led by Speaker Martin Romualdez has repeatedly denied direct involvement with the PI, which is a mode for Charter change (Cha-cha).
Despite this, the congressmen have acknowledged that its the Filipino people’s ultimate right--as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution--to directly propose revisions to the Charter.
The 300-member House has been pursuing the lifting of the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. The 24-member Senate, on the other hand, are supposedly concerned with the checks and balances pertaining to how Cha-cha will be carried out.
Senator Marcos and others have questioned the legality of the PI.