In the Philippines, senate issues statement against people's initiative for charter change

Despite controversy surrounding the people’s initiative for charter change, the collected number of signatures has allegedly already exceeded the required 12% of total registered voters. [...] The development comes a day after senators released a strongly-worded manifesto rejecting the lower chamber’s efforts to amend the Constitution through a constituent assembly where “the Senate and its 24 members cannot cast any meaningful vote against the 316 members of the House of Representatives.” After a strongly worded manifesto, the Senate hits the brakes on charter change until they can ascertain the 'real agenda,' says Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel The 5,767 forms with signatures come from 86 barangays in Butuan City, submitted by the group Lawyers for Constitutional Change House Speaker Martin Romualdez says lawmakers' role is 'to facilitate and encourage democratic participation without direct involvement in signature collection' This is a turnaround as just a week ago, Senate President Miguel Zubiri said it will be the upper chamber that will lead amendments that concern the economy, specifically on provisions aiming to further welcome foreign investors.
Read the full article here: Rappler