Instead of daring senators to declare their position on Charter change issues, lawmakers at the House of Representatives should admit their involvement in the People’s Initiative signature campaign drive. 

Sen. Francis Escudero (O/S Escudero/Senate PRIB Photo)

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero issued the call as he responds to House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe’s challenge for all 24 senators to express their views on the matter. 

“Why don’t they come out in the open, be accountable and admit to the public that they are truly the ones behind this pekeng (fake) People’s Initiative instead of doing a striptease?” Escudero said in a statement released Thursday, February 8.

“Noong una, sinasabi nila ‘wala kaming kinalaman dyan’ then, sumunod na sinasabi na sila ay ‘facilitator but not orchestrator…’ and now, they have the nerve to say ‘titigil namin ang PI pag pinasa nila ang RBH6 (At first they denied they were involved, then next they said they were ‘facilitators but not orchestrator,’ and now, they have the nerve to say we will stop the PI once the Senate passes Resolution of Both Houses No. 6),” he pointed out.

“It would bode well for them to heed their own Speaker’s words when he quoted the saying ‘People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,’” Escudero stressed.

Escudero said he is confident he and the other senators will be able to disclose their stand on the proposal to change the 1987 Constitution in due time.

Currently, the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes is still tackling the resolution which seeks to review the economic provisions of the Constitution. 

During the initial hearing held on Monday, the senator urged proponents of Charter change to present solid data to back their argument on the need to revise the Constitution instead of misrepresenting opinions as facts.

Escudero noted that while these advocates have been pointing out that some of the economic provisions in the Constitution are obsolete and making foreign investors hesitant to do business in the Philippines, they do not have the data or surveys to show such information coming from the business community. 

On the other hand, those opposed to Charter change have presented their case with rock hard evidences and well-researched studies at the committee hearing, the lawmaker observed.

“To make their arguments credible, those advocating for Charter change at this time should present before the Senate committee credible data at hindi lang mga sabi-sabi (and not just based it on hearsay),” he pointed out.