00:00 It seems that more and more unturned stones and skeletons are being unearthed the more the Senate probe on the People's Initiative continues.
00:08 For starters today, the lawmakers grilled resource speakers on the legitimacy of the very group that apparently started the People's Initiative.
00:16 Luisa Erispe has more.
00:20 Instead of words of endearment in time for Valentine's Day, conveners behind People's Initiative for Chartered Change received an earful from several senators in today's hearing.
00:31 First group that was questioned by the senators was PIRMA or People's Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action.
00:38 It was revealed during the hearing they cannot be considered a legitimate group anymore because their registration has been revoked by the Security Exchange Commission since 2004.
00:49 Their certificate of registration has been revoked since February 10, 2004.
00:54 No corporation, no paper, no receipt. What is this?
00:58 The group was also pressed by the panel why they continue to refuse to disclose the names of their donors in the signature gathering.
01:05 On the group's defense, their donors were concerned for their security. That's why they backed out and reclaimed their money,
01:12 leaving Mr. Noel Oñate, PIRMA's lead convener, as the loan payer for the P55 million TV ad.
01:19 However, senators believed should still reveal their identities as they remain liable for the donors' taxes under the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
01:28 Why are they concerned for their security? What is their guarantee of security?
01:35 Donors should reveal themselves unless the funder is different, unless the PIRMA is different.
01:43 I would also like to offer the Senate's protection through an executive session perhaps or even a witness protection possibility.
01:54 We have done this before for whistleblowers and such and we are perfectly happy to do the same for your donors.
02:01 Aside from PIRMA, senators also questioned attorney Anthony Abad,
02:05 whose name is written under the forms of signatures submitted to the Commission on Elections.
02:10 However, Abad claimed he is unaware about the promises of government assistance in exchange of signatures.
02:16 In his excuse, his name was up front on the forms because the names of the conveners were arranged in alphabetical order.
02:23 When asked how could he explain to the public the misinformation and misconceptions in the forms,
02:29 Abad said he can only answer "sorry."
02:32 You are the one who is always thinking about the ideal situation.
02:37 The situation of obtaining on the ground.
02:39 These people are now looking for where to claim the card that they were promised.
02:45 So, they said, "Attorney Abad's name is written here. Let's find him. Let's claim this card."
02:53 So, what do you have to say to these people?
02:57 Sorry.
02:59 Huh?
03:00 Sorry.
03:01 Thank you. Thank you.
03:02 Sorry?
03:04 There are many advocates but none of them answered the question, "What is the purpose of the proposal to vote jointly?"
03:14 The funds for such government assistance was also brought up by the senators.
03:19 The ACA program of DSWD was also questioned during the hearing and was found to have no implementing rules and regulations.
03:27 Yet, the government has allocated a budget for the program.
03:30 Senator Aimee Marcos and Senator Bato de la Rosa stressed this should be addressed properly by the agency.
03:37 In the Senate, I handle the DSWD budget.
03:41 But like the Comelec's mysterious addition of 12 billion, this 26.7 billion in the budget of the DSWD is alien to me.
03:51 Where did this budget come from? Our budgeting process is already reversed.
03:55 Congress will decide what project you will implement.
04:01 You are not requesting Congress to fund a project, a program to fund.
04:07 Meanwhile, Senator Bato de la Rosa asked Comelec on how to withdraw signatures saying he received complaints of people having trouble erasing their signatures from the forms submitted to the poll body.
04:20 The Comelec assures to release the guidelines on the matter to the poll body's local offices.
04:25 Louisa Erispe from the National TV for a new and better republic.
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