MANILA — House Deputy Majority Leader for Communications Erwin Tulfo of and ACT-CIS party-list on Tuesday denied that the House of Representatives is behind the ongoing people's initiative campaign seeking to overpower the Senate in amending the Charter.

The move seeks to amend the Charter to explicitly allow joint voting of the 2 chambers of Congress in considering Constitutional amendments, effectively overwhelming the 24 votes of the Senate with the over 300-member House.

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"It isn't the Speaker actually who initiated this... Wherever they got that information, I don't know, siguro sinsiraan lang," Tulfo told media in an interview at the Batasan Pambansa.

"But on my part as the communications head of Congress, wala namang instructions na ganun... Narinig ko na ireregalo sa SONA. There's no such thing, there's no such thing," Tulfo, who was a broadcaster before joining politics, added.

Tulfo also dismissed as gossip the claims that money was distributed to help gather signatures for the initiative.

Last week, Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez rejected accusations that lawmakers have been offered P20 million each to deliver the needed signatures for a people’s initiative to introduce amendments to the Constitution.

“There is no truth to this statement. Nobody has to pay or bribe me or any other lawmakers when it comes to pushing for constitutional reforms, which I believe will truly help our economy and improve the lives of our Filipino people,” Gomez said.

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Tulfo also maintained that the House welcomes the Senate leadership's decision to pursue amendments to the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Charter, by a 3/4 vote of the 2 chambers of Congress.

GARBIN: MOBILIZATION FUND NOT USED TO 'BUY' SIGNATURES

Meanwhile, the groups behind the PI said the Senate's move will not derail them from pursuing their campaign.

"Kami sa People's Initiative, tuloy lang kami." former lawmaker Alfredo Garbin said.

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Garbin explained that the current PI move is being advocated by groups of local government officials as well as by civic groups.

Garbin defended their use of a mobilization fund for the initiative, saying it is not being used to purchase signatures.

Garbin explained these are meant to defray operational expenses.

"In any movement such as a national movement for People's Initiative kailangan talaga ng gastos ng mga volunteers at kumakalap ng pirma, alangan naman yung umiikot diyan eh hindi mo pakainin o bigyan ng pamasahe o pang gasolina man lang," Garbin said.

Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman reminded proponents that the gathering of signatures for the People's Initiative must be done before an officer of the Commission on Elections.

"Doon sa ilalim ng batas, nakalagay doon na pag merong signature campaign sa national, legislation, ay kailangan yung mga botante ay pipirma sa harapan ng election registrar or his representatives," Lagman said.

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Lagman also claimed that those who have been offered funds to secure signatures for the People's Initiative are eyeing the filing of cases.

He previously claimed 3 of the mayors in his district in Albay are willing to come forward to expose this.

Lagman said they have the options of filing a case before the Commission on Elections or the Prosecutor's Office or even the Supreme Court.

Lagman said they may file the cases within the month.