(File photo)
MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is waiting for the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) clarification on the local government units’ (LGUs) participation in the people’s initiative campaign for Charter change.
In a Palace press briefing, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said he is seeking a meeting with Comelec chairperson George Edwin Garcia to determine whether LGUs can participate in partisan political activities, including a signature campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution.
“This is a very sensitive issue na mahirap magkamali na basta na lang ako gagawa. Because these are documents na lumabas (that have been made public), I just want to be clarified on this. These are actual documents on my table right now. I want to proceed with prudence. They advice me, kung sabihin nilang hindi pwede, hindi pwede (if they say it is not allowed, then it is not allowed). It’s as simple as that,” Abalos said.
“Ako, maingat ako rito at nagtatanong-tanong muna ako, ano ba ang dapat muna naming gawin dito? Mahirap eh, dahil baka mamaya umuoo ako rito, ‘yun pala all the while mali pala itong ginagawa namin. Mahirap ito. It’s a very sensitive issue right now, umuoo ka rito, tapos may mapapahamak, may madedemanda (Me, I'm careful here and I'm asking questions first, what should we do here first, it's hard, because maybe later I'll say yes to it, 'cause all the while we're doing it wrong. This is difficult, it's a very sensitive issue right now, you agree to this, then someone will be harmed, someone will be sued),” he added.
Abalos on Monday said he wrote a letter to Comelec to seek its guidance on the village officials’ involvement in the signature campaign for a people’s initiative.
This came after DILG Undersecretary Felicito Valmocina said village executives should refrain from being involved in the signature campaign.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Garcia said it is the DILG that has jurisdiction over village officials when it comes to their participation in the calls for a people’s initiative.
Around 900 cities and municipalities have so far submitted signature pages, Garcia noted. (PNA)
