Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares warned on Sunday against the ongoing push for Charter change (Cha-cha), alleging that the campaign is 鈥渄angerous鈥� and may be utilizing backhanded tactics.
Speaking during the Kapihan sa Quezon City, Colmenares expressed worry over a pro-Cha-cha group鈥檚 signature campaign for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution through a people鈥檚 initiative.
鈥淰ery dangerous ito kasi it鈥檚 well-organized and well-funded. More than noong panahon ni Duterte,鈥� he said.
(This is very dangerous because it is well-organized and well-funded 鈥� more than during the time of Duterte.)
The lawyer was referring to the campaign of the group People鈥檚 Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (Pirma) which seeks to gather over eight million signatures or 12 percent of the country鈥檚 registered voters to fortify its Cha-cha petition.
According to Colmenares, Pirma said that it aims to finish its signature campaign by June this year to coincide with President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr.鈥檚 State of the Nation Address.
鈥淢asyadong mabilis iyan. Ang tingin namin, imposibleng maachieve iyan unless gumamit ka ng mga hocus-pocus,鈥� he stressed, saying that when they did their own campaign to criminalize the distribution of pork barrel funds, it took them a year to gather about two million signatures.
(That鈥檚 too fast. The way we see it, that鈥檚 impossible to achieve unless you use some hocus-pocus.)
Pirma鈥檚 signature drive has been marred by allegations of 鈥渧ote-buying鈥� using government funds and the exchange of signatures for government 鈥渋ncentives.鈥�
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These accusations, however, have been repeatedly denied by leaders of Pirma and some legislators from the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Pirma explained that they are not using funds from public coffers as their signature campaign is strictly a private endeavor.
Unicameral government
Pirma National Convenor Noel O帽ate previously explained that aside from amending the economic provisions of the Constitution, they also wish to transition the current legislative system into a unicameral government, which will allegedly expedite the approval of laws.
This entails the dissolution of the 24-member Senate as it will be merged with the over 300 members of the Congress.
Colmenares questioned this proposal from Pirma, noting that such a move will not address corruption and poverty in the country and may even worsen with the removal of the Senate.
鈥淭he Senate serves as a check and balance. If you remove its power, we will have a free-for-all situation here. What they want is a unicameral government, a single congress, and one chamber will rule here. The Senate will be dissolved,鈥� the former lawmaker said in Filipino.
鈥淭his is what we always say at Bayan Muna: Poverty and corruption do not stem from the Constitution. That鈥檚 why amending it is not the solution,鈥� he added.