Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Friday, January 26, stood firm that no one could dictate the Senate to push for Charter change (cha-cha).
Speaking before reporters in a news forum, Villanueva cited that no one in history had ever dictated or hostage the Senate to amend the Philippine 1987 Constitution.
“Hindi papayagan ng Senado na hostage-in ang institusyon nino man, and I will say this, nino man. History will bail me out, nino man. Kahit na pinakamakapangyarihan na tao sa balat ng lupa, hindi magpapa-hostage ang Senado,” he stressed.
Senado nanindigan na hindi magpapadikta sa kahit kanino hinggil sa usapin ng Charter change | RH 28 @RaymundDadpaas #RapidoHatawBalita#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 26, 2024
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The senator said the Senate would "never surrender" and that it would "keep on fighting".
"Because as history dictates, the Senate has been the last bastion of democracy. We will defend our institution. We will defend the rights of the people. We will defend those who voted for your senators, those who gave their trust in the senators. Binigyan niyo kami ng kapanyarihan i-represent kayo," he said.
Last Tuesday, January 23, all 24 Senators stood united in signing the manifesto rejecting the People's Initiative (PI) to push reforms in the Constitution.
In the manifesto, Senators pointed out that PI proposes only one change and it is to eliminate the upper chamber to easier amend the Constitution.
The PI has been controversial due to reports that people were bribed with money to sign the cha-cha petition papers. The money was allegedly provided by congressmen.
The Senate is also no longer interested in discussing the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 seeking to amend the economic provisions in the Philippine 1987 Constitution, as per the pronouncement earlier by Villanueva.
