Is bribe money underwriting Charter change efforts?

BLOOD is thicker than water, even in the contentious world of politics. Sen. Imee Marcos, for example, will definitely not step into the role of opposition critic against the administration of her brother if she can avoid it. Unless the ground for opposing personalities and initiatives identified with the administration, from her purview, is a transgression of the political norms so severe, it could be the equivalent of an existential threat to the country.

Recently, she did just that and lashed out at reports that bribes were fueling the signature-gathering drive at the LGU level to show a supposed grassroots clamor for constitutional change, a bribe-undergirded, manufactured groundswell of support. A budget that could go as high as P20 million for every congressional district has been reportedly allocated by some leaders of the House of Representatives for the signature gathering. The House leaders have delegated the signature-gathering to their LGU proxies. Those (the LGU leaders) who can deliver have budgets in the range of P5 to P20 million, the amount dependent on the number of signatures gathered. Senator Marcos told journalists she has gotten hold of a form that is being used for the signature-gathering,