MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Thursday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to talk to his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, on the ongoing people's initiative, saying legislative work has been disrupted by the brewing feud between the two chambers.

"Stop this foolishness," Pimentel told Marcos "because the people's initiative has been hijacked by the House of Representatives."

Pimentel believes Speaker Romualdez is behind the nationwide signature campaign for people's initiative, which the latter has denied.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

"I hope the president will now step in, exercise the powers and prerogatives of his office. Plus the fact that the leader of the House of Representatives is his younger cousin na meron siyang influence over," he said.

Under the initiative, senators and congressmen will vote jointly on charter change proposals, instead of separately as two houses of Congress.

Critics said a joint vote will dilute the Senate's vote of 24 members when combined with the House of Representatives' over 300 lawmakers.

Pimentel said the People's Initiative, one of three ways to revise the present charter, should be reserved for "the genuine people's voice."

• House leaders deny hand in signature campaign for people's initiative
• Lawmakers urge Marcos to avert Congress confrontation over people's initiative

On Tuesday, all 24 senators signed a manifesto rejecting the people's initiative that seeks to drown the Senate's role in future efforts to change the Constitution.

The senators described the ongoing people's initiative as a "sinister and underhanded attempt to change the Constitution by exploiting our democratic process."

• Senate on 'people's initiative': 'A brazen attempt to violate the Constitution'
• Charter change through People's Initiative: What is it?