Senator Francis Pangilinan has thumbed down some netizens' calls to give up the chairmanship of the Senate constitutional amendments panel, saying the reason they cited – to pave the way for charter change (Cha-Cha) and ultimately solve the coronavirus crisis in the country – is just "out of this world."
Pangilinan issued the statement as the hashtag #OustKiko trended early Wednesday, July 15, even topping the Philippine trends on Twitter for some time. The senator, as well as other senators, credited the effort to "paid online trolls."
"I am ready to give up the post anytime if asked by the Senate leadership but certainly not because of the 'clamor' of paid online trolls," the senator said.
"Besides, the argument that the problem of COVID will be solved by charter change is quite frankly out of this world," he added.
In a now-deleted tweet, Pangilinan's daughter Frankie said late Tuesday, July 14, that a certain online movement wanted to "oust" the senator from the Senate panel chairmanship to push for constitutional changes – supposedly to solve the coronavirus problem in the country.
Pangilinan has led the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes starting 2018, during the 17th Congress. He retained the position in the 18th Congress.