PEOPLE'S INITATIVE `GRAND DECEPTION' – GORDON
Sen. Richard J. Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws, yesterday branded the People's Initiative launched by the administration as a "grand deception" because it “concealed many things from the people," including the fact that the proposed constitutional amendment shall still be submitted in a plebiscite to the people.
"This is all part of a grand deception. There are several issues that the proponents of charter change via people’s initiative are concealing from the people” said Gordon
Where will the money come from? How much money is being appropriated for the plebiscite? Will there be enough time for the proponents and the opponents of the proposal to discuss the issue to the public so that they will understand and would be able to vote intelligently on the proposal? Or will the measure be just rammed down the throat of a bewildered Filipino people?" asked Gordon.
According to Gordon, the proponents of charter change still have to convince the people that there is a need to amend the Constitution and what amendments to introduce. He said the provision in the initiative proposal for a shift from a bicameral congress to a unicameral parliament is too vague to be understood by the people.
He pointed out that it is not being explained to the people that when the parliamentary system is emplaced, they would no longer have the right to directly vote for the most important official of the land, namely, the prime minister who will be in charge of government. "The President in a parliamentary system is only a ceremonial official, fit for cutting ribbons and reading speeches prepared by the prime minister. The real executive will be the PM who will be elected by the members of the unicameral congress."
“First, is the public aware that in a parliamentary system, the people will lose their right to directly vote for their leader? That is what will happen if we revise Article 6 and 7 of the Constitution and shift to a parliamentary system, and I doubt if the people were enlightened on this point,” he disclosed.
Gordon added that amending articles 6 and 7 constitute a revision and not a mere amendment of the constitution, which is clearly outside the ambit of a people’s initiative.
“The very process for revising the constitution- as put forward by proponents of a people’s initiative- is not just flawed but unconstitutional,” said Gordon.
He added that even the use of barangay assemblies as a venue for the people’s initiative signature campaign is not valid.
“Under our Local Government Code, the barangay assembly is limited to deciding “on the adoption of initiative as a legal process whereby the registered voters of the barangay may directly propose, enact or amend any ordinance.” Initiative with respect to constitutional amendments is not covered, said the senator.
Gordon also disclosed that any constitutional amendments must still be submitted to the people in a plebiscite, which will be under Commission on Election’s watch.
“But if the Comelec is distrusted by the people because of its perceived failure to prevent massive electoral fraud in the past, how can we have a reliable plebiscite?
He stressed that “ the integrity and credibility of the Comelec and its ability to give us clean, honest and fair elections must be addressed before we can even begin talking about charter change.”
"This is all part of a grand deception. There are several issues that the proponents of charter change via people’s initiative are concealing from the people” said Gordon
Where will the money come from? How much money is being appropriated for the plebiscite? Will there be enough time for the proponents and the opponents of the proposal to discuss the issue to the public so that they will understand and would be able to vote intelligently on the proposal? Or will the measure be just rammed down the throat of a bewildered Filipino people?" asked Gordon.
According to Gordon, the proponents of charter change still have to convince the people that there is a need to amend the Constitution and what amendments to introduce. He said the provision in the initiative proposal for a shift from a bicameral congress to a unicameral parliament is too vague to be understood by the people.
He pointed out that it is not being explained to the people that when the parliamentary system is emplaced, they would no longer have the right to directly vote for the most important official of the land, namely, the prime minister who will be in charge of government. "The President in a parliamentary system is only a ceremonial official, fit for cutting ribbons and reading speeches prepared by the prime minister. The real executive will be the PM who will be elected by the members of the unicameral congress."
“First, is the public aware that in a parliamentary system, the people will lose their right to directly vote for their leader? That is what will happen if we revise Article 6 and 7 of the Constitution and shift to a parliamentary system, and I doubt if the people were enlightened on this point,” he disclosed.
Gordon added that amending articles 6 and 7 constitute a revision and not a mere amendment of the constitution, which is clearly outside the ambit of a people’s initiative.
“The very process for revising the constitution- as put forward by proponents of a people’s initiative- is not just flawed but unconstitutional,” said Gordon.
He added that even the use of barangay assemblies as a venue for the people’s initiative signature campaign is not valid.
“Under our Local Government Code, the barangay assembly is limited to deciding “on the adoption of initiative as a legal process whereby the registered voters of the barangay may directly propose, enact or amend any ordinance.” Initiative with respect to constitutional amendments is not covered, said the senator.
Gordon also disclosed that any constitutional amendments must still be submitted to the people in a plebiscite, which will be under Commission on Election’s watch.
“But if the Comelec is distrusted by the people because of its perceived failure to prevent massive electoral fraud in the past, how can we have a reliable plebiscite?
He stressed that “ the integrity and credibility of the Comelec and its ability to give us clean, honest and fair elections must be addressed before we can even begin talking about charter change.”
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
7:10 PM
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