PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has received the issue of signature buying for the People’s Initiative (PI).
“Well, if the signature is paid for, COMELEC will not accept it. So, nothing will happen there,” that is the direct response of President Marcos, Jr. when asked if the issue of money or aid in exchange for signatures in the People’s Initiative reached him.
The issue sparked the ‘Dabawenyos Are Not For Sale’ rally, held in Davao City, Mindanao, recently. Davaoeños are not in favor of the People’s Initiative, claiming that their signatures are being bought through assistance from the AICS program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and TUPAD program of the Labor Department (DOLE).
The President is now investigating the matter.
“As far as I know, they’re not saying it’s paid in cash but promising various benefits. We’re looking into it; I asked everyone in our legislation, I said, is that true, did anything change in our releases, it’s constant,” President Marcos said.
Apart from Davao City in Mindanao, there are also issues of signature buying in Quezon City in Luzon.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez previously mentioned the importance of amending the Economic Restrictions of the 1987 Constitution.
However, he denied being the instigator of the PI after Sen. Ronald dela Rosa pointed to him as the campaign’s leader.
“It is imperative that we re-examine the constitution and carefully scrutinize pertinent economic provisions to eliminate the barriers that restrict potential growth,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez clarifies.
For President Marcos, he cannot stop the government’s dole-out programs, even if the goal is to avoid suspicion of misusing public funds for the People’s Initiative.
“They say, among other things, to avoid suspicion, let’s stop releasing benefits for now. Well, that’s not good either because there are really people in need,” President Marcos added.
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has received the signatures for the PI and this is the President’s mandate.
“So, we will just let COMELEC do their job, do their work, and validate the signatures. If there’s suspicion, and if indeed there is, those signatures will not be counted,” President Marcos stated.
