By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Barring the proverbial “deux ex machina” or unforeseen circumstances, Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Friday bared that proponents of people’s initiative (PI) for Charter change (Cha-cha) are aiming to have the plebiscite by July this year.
Salceda said the PI proponents — who he did not identify — expect to reach the required number of signatures by then.
“As far as it was explained to me by the proponents, they want to hit it before July… July plebiscite,” the Albay lawmaker revealed on Tina Panganiban Perez’s report on Unang Balita in GMA-7.
Article XVII, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution states: “Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve (12) per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three (3) per centum of the registered votes therein.”
“I think most of the country, I think by next week, we must have already achieved the 12%. It was a question lang talaga of physically submitting it to the local Comelec (Commission on Elections),” Salceda said.
Earlier, political analyst Ronald Llamas said the 2028 presidential ambition of Vice President Sara Duterte might be derailed if the charter change (Cha-Cha) pushes through.
Some groups like the Diskarteng Pinoy in Region 7 are pushing for a shift to a unicameral parliamentary system of government.
On December 13 last year, Senator Imee Marcos apparently ribbed her own cousin Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in her comment about Cha-Cha.
“Baka may gusto mag-Prime Minister na hindi manalo sa Presidente,” she quipped.
Political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that “politics appear to be thicker than blood” as Sen. Marcos who is known to be “close to VP Duterte” may likely dump Romualdez and run as Inday Sara’s s vice presidential team mate in 2028.
(el Amigo/MNM)
