By DANNY O. SAGUN
PIA-Pangasinan

EVER showing confidence in his current political moves, House Speaker Jose de Venecia said that President Macapagal-Arroyo could already be delivering her State of the Nation Address before an interim Parliament in July.

With more than the required signatures for the people’s initiative gathered last Saturday all over the country, he said the process involved in amending the Constitution including the plebiscite will have been completed in June.

Verification of the five million signatures would be completed by April 15 to be followed by a month-long campaign to woo the support of the people, he optimistically declared.

The interim parliament, De Venecia said, will continue the process of amending the Constitution. Elections will also push thru next year to elect members of the new parliament, he added.

Former Consultative Commission members lawyer Raul Lambino and Dagupan City Vice-Mayor Alvin Fernandez likewise waxed optimistic about the positive response of the people. Their colleagues in the commission like mediaman Jarius Bondoc and lawyer Ma. Romela Bengzon branded as anti-people opposition attempts to smear the success of the people’s initiative as well as the authenticity of the signatures.

“Bakit ba takot na takot ang oposisyon? Ayaw nilang marinig ang boses ng taong bayan. Pagbobotohan pa naman yan’” Bengzon said in a text message referring to the plebiscite.

Critics of the signature drive lashed out at the administration for initiating the move as well as at the Commission on Elections for being too eager to verify the signatures without waiting for a request from the people.

Reports also circulated that money changed hands. Municipal mayors and barangay captains reportedly got their “envelopes” for them to push thru with the signature drive.

Vice-Gov. Oscar Lambino however quickly belied the report saying the local officials were only consulted. Bombo Radyo Dagupan thus asked its listeners last Friday to react via text messages if they believed Lambino’s claim or not. The radio anchor claimed some recipients of the money admitted receiving amounts but added they would not confirm it if pressed to do so.

Con-com member Lambino, who heads the Sigaw ng Bayan movement that spearheaded the signature campaign, likewise denied reports money circulated to solicit the support of the local officials. “Ako nga naghahanap kung meron,” he said in jest during in a radio interview.

President Arroyo last Thursday gave full support to the people’s initiative as a mode to effect changes in the Charter