Imee Marcos describes those claiming Senate has no business over PI drive shameless

Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday, January 30 said those who are claiming that the Senate has no business meddling with the People’s Initiative (PI) signature drive are shameless. 

“Sinumang magsabi na walang paki ang Senado sa usapin na ito, isa lang ang masasabi ko: ‘Walang gamot sa kakapalan ng mukha mo’, (whoever said that the Senate has no say about this issue, all I can say is: there’s no cure for your being shameless),” Marcos said during the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation’s initial investigation on the PI campaign. 

Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. did not mention any names but showed various clips of and news reports of House Speaker Martin Romualdez and some members of the House of Representatives whom senators have believed to be behind the campaign. 

In her opening statement, Marcos further slammed proponents of the PI drive, which the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decided to halt on Monday, January 29. 

“Nais ko lang sabihin na kung minsan may mga sakit at biglang nawala ang sintomas, akala natin wala na. Akala natin magaling na ‘yung tao. Akala natin napuksa na natin ang sakit, kaya ihihinto natin ‘yung gamot (I just want to say that sometimes when we think there are illnesses where symptoms have gone, we thought it has been gone for good. We thought the person is already well, that’s why we put a stop giving medicines),” she pointed out.

“Hanggang isang araw, lilitaw ulit ang sakit - isa na siyang mas malakas na karamdaman at bago pa natin maagapan, huli na ang lahat (Until one day, the illness will resurface again and it has become stronger and before we do anything to stop it, it’s already too late),” she lamented. 

At the same time, she said the Comelec should be clear enough to identify the technicalities they want to supposedly fix regarding the PI campaign. 

“Anong teknikalidad? ‘Yung mga pirmang naipasa na, paano? Anong bagong pamantayan ang gagawin nila kung aatras at nagbago ang isip ng tao? Anong gagawin at marami pang ibang tanong (What technicality? 'The signatures that have been passed, how? What new standard will they create if people back off and change their minds? What to do and we have many other questions),” she pointed out.

Marcos warned that while the Comelec has put a stop to the ongoing drive, it is likely only temporary. 

“Maaaring masaya tayo ngayon, dahil akala natin napagpahinga na natin ang usapin ng P.I. nila. Pero hangga’t hindi natin ito naihihimlay, babangon po muli ito upang maging multo - nakakatakot! (We may be happy right now, because we thought we have settled the issue about the PI. But unless this matter has been clarified, this issue will haunt us again like a ghost),” Marcos warned. 

On Monday, the Senate lauded the Comelec for suspending all proceedings on the People’s Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

But Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said senators are hopeful that the Comelec will soon issue a ruling declaring the People’s Initiative (PI) campaign an unconstitutional exercise with finality. 

“Ang prayer po namin diyan ay maglabas na po ng decision ang COmelec na itong particular initiative na ito ay (Our prayer here is that the Comelec will finally issue a decision stating that this particular inititative is) flawed, unconstitutional and therefore, should be dismissed with finality,” Zubiri also said during the press briefing.