The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms received confirmation on Tuesday from Noel Oñate, the lead convenor of People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (PIRMA), that he met with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other congressmen to discuss the utilization of People’s Initiative (PI) in pursuing Charter change.
This confirmation came after the panel presented a screenshot of a conversation showing a picture of Oñate and other PI petitioners during a meeting at Romualdez’s townhouse in Forbes Park, Makati City.
Oñate clarified that the meeting was initially planned to be held at his house in Cavite, but the “staff” suggested holding it at Romualdez’s house. “I initiated the meeting but was told that the meeting will be done instead at the townhouse of the Speaker,” he said.
He admitted to coordinating with congressmen who act as the “chief executive officers (CEOs)” of their districts and Romualdez, who serves as the “CEO” of the House of Representatives. “I sought the help of the Speaker, I admit, to help us in signature gathering,” Oñate added.
Amending the constitution through PI requires at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters as signatories, with every legislative district represented by at least 3 percent of its registered voters.
Oñate denied meeting with Romualdez and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co before the photo was shown during the hearing. He clarified that Romualdez’s help was more of an “administrative” and “advisory” nature as the CEO of the House of Representatives.
“Our people will go to the districts and coordinate with the congressman because he/she is the CEO of the district. So, it is natural that we will go to the congressman,” he explained. “Their help is more of administrative in nature.”
The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms, chaired by Senator Imee Marcos, initiated its first inquiry to determine the individuals behind the PI, which reportedly involved bribery and misrepresentation in different parts of the country.
Facilitator for Healthy Democratic Processes
House Speaker Martin Romualdez acknowledged that representatives from the People’s Initiative, including Oñate, approached him for a meeting. In a statement, Romualdez emphasized that the meeting at his townhouse was “in the spirit of open dialogue and understanding of civic actions spearheaded by our citizens.”
“As Speaker of the House, I am committed to upholding the principles of democracy and facilitating discussions on matters of national interest. The meeting with the People’s Initiative representatives was an exercise in this commitment,” he said.
Romualdez firmly denied any allegations of involvement in unlawful activities related to the PI, stating that such practices are against his principles. He urged the public and media to understand the distinct roles in the democratic framework.
Defense from House Leaders
House leaders defended Romualdez’s meeting with the PI representatives. They argued that photos taken with public figures should not be taken out of context.
“Everybody meets with the Speaker. Many go to him to ask for help. And all of them want to have their pictures taken with the Speaker. Those pictures mean nothing, because all of us normally do it,” said Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzalez Jr.
Lawmakers emphasized that having pictures taken with individuals, groups, or various sectors is part of being a public servant. They urged their Senate counterparts to pass the Senate’s own Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH 6), pointing out that the People’s Initiative is now “dead in the water” following the Commission on Election’s decision to suspend all its proceedings.
“Pass your version of RBH 6, where there are no political provisions, only economic provisions, and we will be one with the Senate. We will no longer ask for any debates. No questions asked,” said Majority Leader Jose Dalipe.
