SENATOR Risa Hontiveros, in a privilege speech during Monday’s plenary session, warns that the proposed People’s Initiative (PI), which seeks to introduce joint voting during a Constituent Assembly, will unbalance the powers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and will weaken Philippine democracy.
Hontiveros said the proposed change to the Constitution will “ease out the Senate” since it will allow the House of Representatives, which is traditionally aligned with the executive, to unilaterally change the Constitution.
In a statement, Hontiveros said “Noong una ko lang nabalitaan ang nilulunsad na People’s Initiative noong Christmas break, ang una ko pong naitanong: Bakit po palihim? Bakit po parang binalot sa misteryo at sinamantalahan ang panahon na kasama natin ang ating mga pamilya sa noche buena?
“Naging malinaw sa akin sa kalaunan. Ang magnanakaw palihim na nagtatrabaho. And this is theft, Madame Chair! Ninanakaw ang ating demokrasya. Ninanakaw ang isang mahalagang check and balance sa gobyerno para isulong ang pansariling interes. Ang interes ng nasa poder,” she added.
The senator said that her action is not a fight just for the survival of the Senate.
“This is a fight for our collective democracy. Our democracy that, however fragile, continues to sustain us and give us hope for a better future. Ito ay laban para sa bawat Pilipino. Nagpapasalamat ako na sinuspindi ng Comelec ang proceedings sa PI. Pero sana po madinig din natin definitively na hindi na talaga itutuloy. Dahil hindi po ito talaga ang sagot sa kailangan ng mga Pilipino ngayon: disenteng trabaho, murang pagkain, pagsugpo sa corruption,” she concluded. (Senate PRIB)
