SC DECISION UPHOLDS RULE OF LAW,
PEOPLES INITIATIVE IS OVER-- GORDON

Senator Richard J. Gordon, Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws, yesterday lauded the resolution of the Supreme Court denying with finality the Motion for Reconsideration in the Peoples Initiative case.

The Supreme Court once again provided predictability, consistency, and stability to our legal system and the rule of law in our country by sticking to their ruling that the Peoples Initiative is invalid because it is unconstitutional. The Constitution remains to be the criterion of validity for all acts of sovereignty, especially those pertaining to amendments or revisions of the Constitution," said Gordon.

Gordons comment came after the Supreme Court issued their Resolution yesterday declaring Peoples Initiative unconstitutional because changing the form of government from Bicameral-Presidential to Unicameral-Parliamentary constitutes a revision of the Constitution and not a mere amendment.

The Constitution clearly states in Section 2, Article 17 that only amendments can be proposed through Peoples Initiative. Since changing the form of government is a revision, this can only be done by Congress acting as a Constituent Assembly or by a Constitutional Convention, like what we had back in 1972, where I had the honor of representing Zambales as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, explained the Senator.

Gordon also stated that the proponents of Charter Change cannot force their will upon the people. He added that they should learn their lesson from this imprudent experience and make sure that their schemes are Constitutional before embarking on further ill-advised acts to revise the Constitution.