2007 elections assured with Cha-cha – JdV
Dagupan City – House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. assured newsmen that the scheduled 2007 elections will precede even if the amendments to the 1987 Constitution pushes through.
De Venecia said there is no plan to postpone the elections in 2007 because there is nothing in the draft of the proposed amendments calling for no election (no-el) next year.
It is immoral for us to move for the extension of our offices because it would be a major conflict of interest, he clarified. It is also immoral for the interim parliament to convene based on the extended terms of its members.
De Venecia announced that the People’s Initiative that seeks to amend the present constitution has already started last week. For its part, Congress is concentrating on a resolution also seeking certain amendments to the constitution that needs the signature of 195 members.
Those initiating the nationwide People’s Initiative are the local government units, people organizations, non-government organizations, business groups, leaders of the academe, and members of the civil society, teachers, students, labor unions, Overseas Contract Workers and others.
He said all these are a powerful combination of people from all walks of life, adding that it is hard to stop the tide of public opinion that is authorized, sanctioned and mandated to amend the constitution. “This tide of public opinion is unstoppable as the voice of the people is the voice of God,” he said.
De Venecia said that in this People’s Initiative, the period for gathering signatures is from February to March while the verification of the signature by the Commission on Elections shall be done by April.
On the other hand, de Venecia said that April and May is the campaign period for the ratification of the amendments while the plebiscite is scheduled sometime in June. De Venecia is optimistic that the first parliamentary election for the first unicameral parliament shall be done in July.
However, de Venecia expects the opposition to question the result of the People’s Initiative before the Comelec and the Supreme Court.
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