MANILA — House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Representative, Jude Acidre, on Saturday (30 March 2024) criticized the recent Pulse Asia survey on Charter change (Cha-cha) as “malicious” and “unfair.”

The survey, conducted from March 6 to 10, indicated that 88 percent of respondents were against any alterations to the 1987 Constitution, while only eight percent favored amendments.

Acidre argued that the survey’s questions and scenarios were designed to instill fear among Filipinos regarding Cha-cha, rendering the results invalid, unfair, and irrelevant to the current context.

He pointed out that the 1,200 respondents’ negative responses were influenced by politically charged questions concerning the extension of terms for national and local elective positions, a shift from a bicameral to unicameral legislature, a transition from a presidential to a parliamentary system, and a change from a unitary to a federal system.

“These political-themed amendments were not included in Resolution of Both Houses No. 7, which aims to relax restrictions on the economic provisions of the Charter. They were not discussed during our extensive deliberations in the House because they were never part of our agenda,” Acidre emphasized.

Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by Tangere, showed that a good majority, or 52% of Filipinos favored Charter change.

(By el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Saying that it was only Senate interpretation that the two houses of Congress shall vote separately, House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre stressed on Thursday (22 Feb 2024) that the 1987 Constitution does not mandate separate voting for the proposed amendments of the 1987 Constitution.

“Ang voting separately, dinagdag po ‘yun ng Senado kung anong nakasulat sa Saligang Batas. Tayo po [sa House of Representatives] we stand with what’s written in the Constitution,” Acidre said in a press conference.

The Tingog party-list lawmaker cited Section 1, Article XVII (Amendments and Revisions) of the Constitution, which states that “Any amendment to, or revision of, the Constitution may be proposed by: 1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members…”

“Kinopya lang po natin doon, pagpapakita po na ang House ay sumusunod po sa pangkasalukuyang Saligang Batas ng bansa,” Acidre maintained.

Earlier, former Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said that if the House refuses to concede and insists on “voting jointly” in amending the Charter, then “any member of Congress or any tax payer can now go to SC to raise the question.”

“Supreme Court ang dapat na arbiter dito,” Carpio said.

(el Amigo/MNM))