Ni NOEL ABUEL
Nanindigan si House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez kay Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III na walang partisipasyon ang mga kongresista sa people’s initiative (PI).
“The People’s Initiative is not initiated out of the Congress eh. As you know there are three modes. ‘Di ba, may Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass), where the House and the Senate convene as one; electing delegates, ‘di ba, to a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con). Pero wala namang pakialam ‘yung senador o ‘yung miyembro ng Congress sa People’s Initiative,” paliwanag ni Romualdez.
“We haven’t pass any resolution, we don’t have to pass any bill, we don’t have to set anything for hearings. There are no formal functions or participation of congressmen or senators. ‘Yan ay PI. The PI contemplates the power of the people. Di ba? So that’s it,” dagdag ng lider ng Kamara.
“Walang partisipasyon ang mga congressmen d’yan, so I dont know what they’re making reference to,” paninindigan pa ni Romualdez.
Ayon sa Leyte 1st District Congressman, si Pimentel at ang kanyang mga kapwa senador na nag-aalala sa PI at ang kasamang kampanya ng lagda nito ay maaaring “nakakakita ng mga multo”.
“They’re seeing ghosts all over the place. Let the people decide. We expect the process of the PI–all the senators’ problems with the PI, the conduct of which they can take it up with the Comelec or raise whatever allegations that I see are quite baseless in the proper courts,”
sabi pa nito.
Wala ring nakikitang mali si Romualdez sa mga miyembro ng Kamara at mga senador para sa bagay na gustong tumulong na ipaliwanag ang mga ins at outs ng PI sa kanilang mga nasasakupan kung nais na mag-usisa sa PI.
“Pero at the end of the day, senators and congressmen are people no? So as long as you are not using government funds, you are not using your offices in pursuit of these purely civilian activities, you’re in good stead,” sabi pa ni Romualdez.
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