Duterte wants transition leader, general elections in 2019

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte wants general elections in 2019 — the scheduled midterm elections under the present Constitution — for the federal government’s transition leader, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said Tuesday. “General elections ang iniisip ng ating Pangulo para dun sa magiging (The President is thinking of general elections for our) transition leader natin, dahil (because) under the proposed constitution po, the new government under the new constitution will take effect June 30 of 2022, at kung ma-aprubahan nga itong Saligang Batas na ito, ang sabi ng Presidente bababa siya sa kanyang position ng (if this proposed law gets approved, the President said he will step down in) 2019,” Mr. Roque said in his press briefing in Indang, Cavite on Tuesday, July 10.

Last Monday, Mr. Duterte also said he instructed the Consultative Committee (ConCom) on charter change to prepare a transitory provision for an elected transitional president to finish the remainder of his term.

“I instructed Consultative Committee to elect a transitional President. I am willing to cut my term to be co-terminous with (the) start of (the) transition period. Committee agreed. It’s to remove all suspicions, and I am tired. [I am] ready to give it to somebody else,” Mr. Duterte said as posted by Mr. Roque on his Twitter account on Monday afternoon.

The President added: “Electing a transitional leader would enable a younger leader to take over.”

But under the 1987 Constitution, the vice-president steps in a vacancy in the presidency.

Sought for comment, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III told BusinessWorld in a text message that the 2019 elections for a transitional president will be “very difficult.” —