'Let's not hijack this hearing': Senators, Marcoleta clash over failed Cha-cha bids

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'Let's not hijack this hearing': Senators, Marcoleta clash over failed Cha-cha bids

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Updated Jan 30, 2024 06:16 PM PHT

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Sen. Imee Marcos, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, and Sen. Koko Pimentel. File photos 

MANILA — A lawmaker from the House of Representatives on Tuesday appeared before a Senate panel's investigation into the controversial people's initiative, sparking tension in the Chamber as failed Charter change efforts were brought to light. 


The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation led by Sen. Imee Marcos is probing the alleged anomalies surrounding the people's initiative, with senators suspecting that the campaign was bankrolled by the House of Representatives.


Rep. Rodante Marcoleta was among the guests during the hearing, a rare instance in the Congress that values "inter-parliamentary courtesy." 


Marcoleta clarified that he was "not representing" the House of Representatives and that he would be the first to condemn their leaders if they are found to be behind the new Cha-cha push.

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"I am not defending the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If this investigation will find out na siya ang nagpondo, I will politely ask him to step down," Marcoleta told the panel. 



However, he said he understood the "frustration" of the private citizens who supposedly launched the people's initiative.


Marcoleta then aired his grievances against the Senate for allegedly ignoring the House of Representatives' calls to meet over Cha-cha. 


"I think for the longest time the House of Representatives has been inviting the Senate to sit with us on a constituent assembly and the Senate repeatedly refused us," he said.




However, Sen. Koko Pimentel immediately countered Marcoleta's point, saying the House could not force the Senate to engage on such venture.

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"Tama yung observation ni Marcoleta, pero that cannot be forced. If the Senate doesn't want to amend the Constitution through a constituent assembly, the House cannot force it. Ganon lang po yun, as simple as that. There should be no complaint because we are 2 autonomous bodies," Pimentel said.


But Marcoleta argued that "the complaint arises from the fact that you do not want to meet with us."


This led Pimentel to suspect even more that the House of Representatives was really behind the people's initiative.


"Our problem with the people's initiative is we suspected some politicians to be behind it, because ang tinutumbok ng P.I. is the procedure sa constituent assembly and changing the natural meaning of that section," he said.


The people's initiative aims to amend the Constitution for Congress to "vote jointly" during constituent assembly, essentially undermining the Senate's role.

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Marcos then reminded Marcoleta to "not hijack this hearing" and stray from the subject of the investigation.


"With all due respect to Cong. Marcoleta, that's likely the subject of another hearing and perhaps a more confident and benign meeting of the minds at another time. Let's not hijack this hearing," she said.


The Marcos-led panel is expected to present experts and witnesses who claimed they were duped into signing the people's initiative form in exchange for some aid.

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