SENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said fresh efforts to tinker with the Constitution were “laid to rest” on Monday after President Duterte omitted mentioning the controversial Charter-change issue during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the opening of the 18th Congress.
“The President’s silence on federalism during his fourth Sona speaks volumes, indicating that Charter change is not a priority of the Duterte administration anymore,” said Drilon.
The senator pointed out that “what is more telling in the President’s speech is not what he said but what he did not say.”
“That speaks volumes,” Drilon added, referring to the non-mention of federalism and Charter change, one of the President’s top campaign promises. “For me, the noninclusion of federalism indicates that the Cha-cha was laid to rest yesterday. The Sona became Cha-cha’s ‘final resting place.’”
Drilon said the President’s post-Sona press conference confirmed his observation, where the President conceded that Charter changes won’t happen during his time. “Hence, those who have plans to revive it this 18th Congress should better think twice. It will be an exercise in futility,” added Drilon.
In a statement, the Senate minority leader recalled that days before Congress opening, then-presumptive House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano had said he would push to extend the term of office of lawmakers.
At the same time, Drilon aired support for some of the items on the President’s “wish list” to Congress, but held off support for others, “particularly the reimposition of the death penalty in the country.”
“We may not always see eye to eye with the President on certain issues, but in terms of legislation that will benefit the country, we are always ready to support him,” said Drilon. The minority leader added, for instance, that he supports the proposed salary standardization law, the increase in teachers’ salary and the creation of a water department.
Drilon earlier filed two bills calling for the increase in the salary of teachers and the creation of the Philippine Water Commission to manage and regulate the country’s water resources.
At the same time, Drilon recalled Duterte backing plans “to raise “sin” taxes anew.”
Drilon, who authored the Sin Tax Reform Law, said his four-man bloc had supported the additional excise tax on tobacco in the 17th Congress and the enabling bill is currently on the President’s desk for approval.
He recalled that the original sin tax law that raised the excises taxes of tobacco and alcohol products in 2012, generated funds for the country’s health-related programs while reducing the prevalence of smoking in the country.
Death penalty
Meanwhile, he noted that while Charter change was laid to rest, the death penalty is being resurrected, receiving a big push from the President during the Sona.
Duterte asked Congress to reinstate the death penalty for heinous crimes as part of the administration’s efforts to boost anti-corruption measures during his term.
“The drugs will not be crushed unless we continue to eliminate corruption that allows the social monsters to survive. I respectfully request congress to reinstate death penalty to heinous crimes related to drugs, as well as plunder,” Duterte said.