Step aside, Senate President and House Speaker. President Duterte is not only opposed to the idea of no-elections in 2019, but is also in objection to the proposal to extend his term in office, as he even intends to cut short his six-year service, according to his spokesman.
The President is resistant to the proposals of Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez in extending his term as Chief Executive and suspending the elections in 2019, respectively.
Both proposals, according to Pimentel and Alvarez, will be borne out of the country’s looming transition to a federal type of government.
However, this does not fancy Duterte. In a news briefing on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said his principal is willing to cut short his term if Congress will be able to craft an anticorruption-oriented Constitution.
“On the possible term extension, he has said it before: If we can amend the Constitution and provide for provisions that would minimize graft and corruption, he would 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 said.
Pimentel on Wednesday said the President’s term may be extended if necessary during the country’s shift to federalism.
He added that, should Congress approve the transition to a federal type of government in 2019, the next three years then will become transitory period.
He noted, though, it is still Duterte’s choice if he would like to cling on to Malacañang past 2022. Under Article 7, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution, the President and the Vice President are disallowed from extending their term past their six-year mandate.
“The President and the Vice President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years, which shall begin at noon on the 30th day of June next following the day of the election, and shall end at noon of the same date six years thereafter. The President shall not be eligible for any reelection,” the Constitution read.
Roque also dismissed the no-elections scenario in 2019 floated by Alvarez.
He said the President is opposed to this, and will not allow the Constitution to be stepped on, not even by political allies.
“The President is the chief implementor of the Constitution and the laws of the land. Unless and until the Constitution is amended and ratified by the people, elections will push through in 2019,” Roque said.
“What the President promises is that, if elections push through, we will have credible and honest elections.”
Steering the country to federalism is one of the Duterte administration’s major policy reforms in a bid to decentralize Manila and distribute power and wealth to provinces. On the other hand, critics of federalism warned the proposed type of government will only perpetuate political dynasties, and it might lead rural areas to further poverty.