ANGARA QUESTIONS SENATE RESOLUTION ON PEOPLES INITIATIVE

The Senate has virtually killed any hope of implementing constitutional changes through a constitutional convention, and now a constituent assembly as well.

This was the response of Senator Edgardo J. Angara to the question over why he did not sign a resolution that the signature campaign initiated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to change the Constitution through a peoples initiative was unlawful.

A peoples initiative is one mode of changing the constitution that is reserved for the people. And now, we are trying to block even this particular mode, Angara said.

This gives the wrong impression that senators are for the status quo, when in fact, many of us want change. It is not for the Senate to judge as to what mode is improper or unauthorized. That decision is for the Supreme Court to make, he added.

Angara said the Senate should let the process proceed so as not to unwittingly convey the message that were anti-change or anti-reform.