ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Multo na to': PI proponent PIRMA's registration revoked since 2004, says SEC

'Multo na to': PI proponent PIRMA's registration revoked since 2004, says SEC

Published Feb 13, 2024 08:07 am

One of the lead proponents of the People's Initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution, the People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (PIRMA) was nonexistent since Feb. 10, 2004, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

viber_image_2024-02-13_13-38-53-638.jpg
Sen. Imee Marcos presides over the continuation of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation hearing on the issue of people initiative (PI) spearheaded by the People’s Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action (PIRMA) on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. (Senate PRIB photo)


During the hearing of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation presided over by Sen. Imee Marcos on Tuesday, Feb. 13, this was confirmed by SEC Securities Review Counsel Katrina Jean Miranda.

"Their certificate of registration has been revoked since Feb. 10, 2004," Miranda said.

She added that since the time of their incorporation, they have not submitted any reportorial requirements with the SEC based on their records. It was also found out that PIRMA's lead convenor Noel Oñate was not on the list of names during the group's incorporation.

PIRMA's legal counsel, Atty. Alex Avisado said that they made submissions of the requirements to SEC's online portal only this month. He explained that it took time for Oñate to speak with his former associates in PIRMA.

"You are going to update the website of a corporation that has not been in existence for 20 years. Wala na to, multo na to. Wala nang PIRMA bente anyos na. Ano pa ang pagpipilitan natin dito? (This is gone, it's already a ghost. There nas not been PIRMA for 20 years. What are we forcing there?)" Marcos said.

Avisado added that once they were able to comply with the requirements and the payment of penalties, they'll be filing a petition for reinstatement.

But Miranda said that the proper process would be to file a petition to file a petition to lift the order of revocation.

Sen. Nancy Binay said that she found the timeline confusing considering that they initiated the PI without sorting out the documentation of PIRMA.

"Di ba dapat nag due diligence muna kayo kung talagang may entity na PIRMA? (Shouldn't you have made the due diligence to verify if there such an entity under the name PIRMA?)" she asked.

Marcos said that they shouldn't have used PIRMA but instead put individual names since the process should come from the people.

"Basta may tao don na nakapirma ayos na yun. Bakit pa kinaladkad ang PIRMA bat ginamit-gamit pa itong kalansay na korporasyon na patay na? (As long as there someone who signed it it's okay. Why did you drag PIRMA and used this already dead corporation?)" she added.

Missing donors

Meanwhile, Binay was also confused why PIRMA's so-called donors, who chipped in to spend P55 million for a television ad calling for constitutional amendments, would suddenly invoke their right to privacy.

viber_image_2024-02-13_13-40-46-866.jpg
Sen. Nancy Binay quizzes proponents of the "people's initiative" on the identity of their donors during the hearing of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. (Senate PRIB photo)

"Di ba dapat ready sila and proud to say na ipinaglalaban nila itong Charter change itong PI. Nakakagulat na all of a sudden di na sila naniniwala sa advocacy na pinondohan nila. Parang ganun na ho yung dumadating (Shouldn't they be ready and proud to declare that they are advocating for Charter change, this people's initiative? It's surprising that all of a sudden, it seems to me, that they no longer believe the advocacy they funded)," Binay said.

Oñate disclosed that since the donors refused to have their identities divulged, he gave back around P27 million that they donated, shouldering the P55 million TV advertisement.

Marcos reminded Oñate to submit the documents required by the committee.

“From the PIRMA, we still have not received the actual cost of printing of the signature forms. I think Rep. Rodante Marcoleta made some estimate and they were significant sums and yet we do not have the cost of printing,” Marcos said.

“Until today we do not have the list of donors from the advertisement and the proof of payment of the donors' tax,” she added.

Related Tags

People's Initiative Senator Imee Marcos Charter change 1987 Constitution Nancy Binay
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.