|
Monday, March 27, 2006
No funds released for Charter change drive: Palace
MANILA -- Malacañang said Sunday it did not release funds for the gathering of signatures in the barangay level for a people's initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said Malacañang's only hand in the barangay assemblies last Saturday is to "encourage people" to participate in public debates on the need for changes to the Charter and to inform local officials that a people's initiative is a "legitimate, timely and relevant democratic method to amend the Constitution."
"Government definitely has not used nor provided funds for this exercise. To say that the people's initiative is desperate is to insult millions of Filipinos who clamor for reforms in our political system so that they could be benefited by more economic opportunities rather than be held hostage by the bickering politicians and lust for power of professional government destabilizers," Claudio said.
He said the signatories only wanted to exercise their constitutional right to directly propose changes in the Constitution in order to make the political system more efficient.
He took to task constitutional expert Fr. Joaquin Bernas for what he claimed was "heckling" when the prelate said the administration was getting desperate. He said a man of God should be "kinder and more tolerant" over a genuine clamor of the people for constitutional reforms.
Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor said cases should be filed against barangay and other local officials who give out money in exchange for signatures.
Defensor admitted that the Palace supports a people's initiative because Charter change is part of the campaign platform of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004. He said the interior department "supervises" the barangay assemblies because it is in charge of local government.
He dismissed the opposition's claim that P10 billion worth of demonetized P1,000 bills have been withdrawn from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to fund the people's initiative.
He said the BSP is an independent body and that the signature campaign is also an independent move. He said the government officials helped, if asked to, but not by providing government funds. (JMR/Sunnex)
(March 27, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Allies question Charter change method