Salceda: 12% nat'l threshold reached for Cha-cha via people's initiative
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 24) — Proponents of the people's initiative for charter change have reportedly reached the required number of signatures nationwide to propose constitutional amendments, a ranking lawmaker said Wednesday.
House Ways and Means Committee chairman and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda claimed more than 12% of all registered voters nationwide have signed the petition to amend the Constitution.
"As of last night, we've reached the 12.1% threshold," Salceda said. "We have already reached the mandate of the people. So the Constitution should operate as provided."
Under Republic Act No. 6735 or the "The Initiative and Referendum Act," at least 12% of all registered voters must sign the petition to amend the Constitution.
Salceda said the timeline for filing the petition for constitutional amendments with the Commission on Elections will depend on how fast the poll body can validate the signatures submitted from local government units.
READ: Marcos: Let Comelec validate Cha-cha signatures
Meanwhile, he downplayed the manifesto signed by all 24 senators on Tuesday opposing people's initiative as a method of amending the Constitution, saying it's time for the people's voices to be heard.
"Sa tao naman tayo makinig, hindi sa 24 tao... Kung anim sa kanila the way they want it, only 7 senators can trump the voice of the 12% of the population?" Salceda said.
"Madali naman mag-name calling. Pero yung 12.1% of the population that signed on, I think masyado namang mababaw tingin mo sa mga taong ganoon. Hindi mo basta-basta mapapapirma yun," he added.
[Translation: We should listen to the people, not just 24. Do we let only 7 senators trump the voice of the 12% of the population?]
The lawmaker likewise shrugged off the claim that voters were misinformed or bribed to sign the forms calling for charter change.
