LESS than two years after the Supreme Court threw out the petitions for People’s Initiative (PI), governors are again pushing for a similar action and this time they are optimistic that it will succeed because it will be in conformity with the Court’s decision.

Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan said the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap) will spearhead the PI to push for the shift from presidential-bicameral to presidential-unicameral for of government.

Garcia also allayed fears that the initiative will suspend the 2010 elections and that the contentious issues in the first PI would be removed.

“Tuloy ang election sa 2010 as scheduled and of course ito ay  kailangan munang ma-ratify sa plebisito. Kapag na-ratify na magiging unicameral na ang Kongreso … ang mga senador would be covered by the transitory provisions,” said Garcia.

Asked what differentiated the new PI to the first initiative, Garcia said that it will just be a minor amendment instead of revision.

The Supreme Court after junking the PI petition in November 2006, also upheld that the law allows for minor amendments, but not a major revision of the Charter through the same mode.

In the same four-page en banc resolution, 10 justices led by then-Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban said that Republic Act 6735, or the Initiative and Referendum Act, was sufficient to allow for minor amendments to the 1987 Constitution through PI.

“Well, ang bago, it will be in conformity with the Supreme Court  decision on the first PI which means isang subject lang para maging amendment instead na revision as the Supreme Court said kapag change of form of government from presidential-bicameral to presidential-unicameral amendment lang iyon,” Garcia said.

As for the gathering of signatures, Garcia said that as provided for by a Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution, there will be a signature station in each town and barangay.

“Sa pagkakalap ng signatures as provided for by the Comelec resolution puwede ng magkaron ng signature station in each municipality, bawat barangay. So pagpunta ng pipirma doon ibe-verify kaagad kung registered voter siya kaya mas madali,” Garcia said.

The Supreme Court voting 8-7, threw out the consolidated petitions for people’s initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution.

It branded as “deceptive and misleading” the moves of the Ulap and Sigaw ng Bayan to shift the present bicameral presidential system of government to unicameral parliamentary.

In a 52-page in banc decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the Court denied due course to what he called a “constitutionally infirmed” petition for initiative jointly filed by Sigaw ng Bayan led by lawyer Raul Lambino and the Ulap headed by Gov. Erico Aumentado of Bohol.

Opposition leaders opposed the move saying that the only purpose of the PI is to prevent an election for the President.

“We are watching it closely because we are opposed to that. We are opposed to any Constitutional change whether by people’s initiative, Constitutional Assembly or Concon [Constitutional Convention] before 2010. After the 2010 elections we can discuss it but not now,” said Partido ng Masang Pilipino-United Opposition Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro, in an interview.

Rodriguez said that if the Constitution were changed, President Arroyo can still become the Chief Executive and at the same time Prime Minister.

Communist party founder says GMA may not finish term

A COMMUNIST leader said that leftist groups, together with disgruntled military and police personnel and other anti-Arroyo groups are moving to oust President Arroyo.

LESS than two years after the Supreme Court threw out the petitions for People’s Initiative (PI), governors are again pushing for a similar action and this time they are optimistic that it will succeed because it will be in conformity with the Court’s decision.

AN Australian political analyst said that the Glorietta 2 blast in October last year was an attack launched by the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayaff group and not industrial accident as claimed by National Police investigators.

THE Cuban government has urged the Philippines to raise the moral issue on migration as Manila hosts the second Global Forum on Migration and Development in October this year.

THE former owner of the 144-hectare controversial land in Sumilao, Bukidnon, on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to declare null and void the order of President Arroyo revoking the conversion of the said property from agricultural to agro-industrial.

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is expected to submit to President Arroyo its formal proposal on increased taxes on sin and luxury products after consultations with its members and other stakeholders in the next three weeks.

PROMPTED by warnings that unregulated biofuel production can, ironically, result in environmental destruction, pollution and human health damage, a newly formed congressional oversight committee is moving to ensure that standards are set and enforced on how biofuels are produced.