• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has distanced himself from the signature campaign on the move of some lawmakers to push for amendments to the Constitution.
“As an elected public official, I will not be actively leading these moves, but will wait for the plebiscite and cast my vote,” Lacson said yesterday.
He added that he has no idea of any public official leading the signature campaign in Negros Occidental.
After failed attempts to amend the Constitution during the past administrations, Speaker Martin Romualdez said that the House of Representatives will again focus on the Charter change this year.
This time, the House is trying to amend the Constitution through a signature campaign or people’s initiative.
Senator Imee Marcos called for a Senate inquiry into the alleged bribery in the signature campaign for the petition, with up to P20 million reportedly being offered to each district to buy signatures.
Lacson challenged those claiming that money is being paid to individuals who will sign the petition to show evidence.
“Come forward and present evidence to the Commission on Elections, or better still do not sign the petition, if you are against it,” he said.
“People’s initiative is constitutional. Let it be a people’s initiative,” he added.
In a statement, Romualdez called on local officials to support the proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier expressed support for the proposed Charter change, saying the study on amending the 1987 Constitution should focus on attracting more investors to the country. | GB
