‘Biased’ poll on Cha-cha gets another House critic

COUNT House of Representatives Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe among those who have taken offense at a recent survey on Charter change commissioned by independent pollster Pulse Asia, calling it a “biased” survey.

The survey, released last Wednesday, March 27, and conducted from March 6-10, showed that 88 percent of respondents were against changing the Constitution in any form. Of the total, 75 percent were strongly against the move, saying the 1987 Constitution must not be changed now or at any other time.

House of Representatives Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe. House of Representatives of the Philippines 

The House passed on third reading on March 20 Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 7, which amends the economic provisions, such as foreign ownership of educational institutions and mass media entities.

In a statement on Saturday, Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Dalipe questioned the survey’s integrity and purpose, as it included questions that were not under consideration in Congress.

He condemned the inclusion of “irrelevant” questions, such as extending the term for national and local elective officials, changing the presidential system into a parliamentary system of government, shifting from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature, and allowing foreigners to exploit the country’s natural resource1s.

“Why include questions that people don’t want and are not related to the ongoing process in Congress? Is this black propaganda?” Dalipe said.

He also said the survey had an “apparent attempt” to derail the constitutional reform process, including unrelated questions that would only serve to “confuse and mislead the public.”

“Surveys should reflect the real concerns of the people, not push a particular agenda,” Dalipe said.

He said the best way to gauge public opinion on Charter change amendments was through a plebiscite.

“The best course of action is to pass it in the Senate and let the people decide through a plebiscite, not through biased surveys,” Dalipe said.

Before Dalipe, House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre and former lawmaker and Ako Bicol Executive Director Alfredo Garbin Jr. also slammed the Pulse Asia survey.

“This Pulse Asia survey is riddled with questions and scenarios that spread fear among Filipinos about Cha-cha. For this reason alone, the survey results are invalid, unfair and inapplicable to the current situation,” Acidre said.