PALACE REITERATES: NO TERM EXTENSION
Officials yesterday reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte will step down when his six-year term ends in 2022.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte has no intention of extending his term.
Roque said Duterte was even willing to cut short his presidency, if the Constitution is amended to pave way for a federal state.
“He (Duterte) has said it before: If we can amend the Constitution and provide for provisions that will minimize graft and corruption, he will even resign prior to the end of his term of office in 2022. So the President is considering shortening his term but has definitely rejected even the idea of prolonging his term,” Roque told reporters in Davao City.
“As I said, the President has no wish to extend his term. If the Constitution can be amended to provide for federalism and to provide for provisions that would strengthen public accountability, he has said he is willing to cut short his term,” he added.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, for his part, dismissed talks on the possible extension of Duterte’s term under a federal form of government.
In a radio interview in Manila, Alvarez said members of the opposition are just trying to sow confusion by painting a no-elections scenario.
“Malinaw po ang sinabi ng Pangulo na yung kanyang termino mag-e-end on or before (2022.) Kasi kung kinakailangan niyang mag-resign bago mag-2022 para ang ating bagong Saligang Batas, yung bagong sistema ng gobyerno ay kaya niyang gawin yon (The President has clearly stated that his term would end on or before. He is willing to resign, if needed, before 2022 to pave the way for a new form of government),” Alvarez said.
“Matagal ko ng kilala yan, talagang pagod na rin at kung pupuwede nga lang bukas... (I have known him long. He’s exhausted and, if he could, he would resign),” he added.
Alvarez said he would discuss with Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, upon the resumption of the Congress’ session on January 15, moves to initiate the process of convening Congress into a constituent assembly that would draft a new constitution for a federal form of government.
“Ngayon, tatapusin namin ng mabilis iyan, at pagdating noong halalan ng barangay elections sa Mayo ay puwede na nating i-submit for ratification sa mga tao (We will fast track the process so that by the time barangay elections are held in May, we can also submit this for ratification by the public),” Alvarez said.
He suggested the scrapping of the senatorial elections in 2019 and allow senators, whose terms will expire in 2019, to serve in a holdover capacity during the transition period to the federal form of government or up to 2022 to avoid legal complications.
Speculations about a possible extension of Duterte’s term were revived after Pimentel floated the possibility.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have promised to prioritize this year the revision of the 1987 Constitution and the shift to a federal form of government.