Bishop: Term extension violation of Constitution

A CATHOLIC bishop has called on the public to be vigilant on “no election” or “no-el” rumors swirling around the 2019 midterm elections.

“No-el is another specter of [a] looming dictatorial government. - lant to avoid [a] political pitfall,” Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon said on Saturday.

On Wednesday, House Speaker television interview that there is a possibility that the 2019 polls would not be held as scheduled because of a proposed shift to a federal form of government.

“Indeed, the shortening of the term[s] of office [of incumbent - sion of [those] term[s] smacks of an imminent dictatorship, which happened during the presidency of Marcos,” the Sorsogon bishop said, referring to then-President Ferdinand Marcos.

Marcos’ rule was ended by a popular revolt in 1986, catapulting presidency in the same year.

Bastes said he is against the idea of extending the term of any

He added that any term extension must never be allowed be- cause it is a clear violation of the 1986 Constitution.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, however, assured the public on Friday during a roundtable discussion with The Manila Times editors and reporters that elections would take place next year.

“No matter what, there will be elections,” he said.