Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo has joined a chorus of opposition to a possible cancellation of mid-term elections and extensions to terms in office, including that of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, amid a renewed push for a shift to federalism.
Duterte is keen to follow through on his election campaign promise to introduce federalism, which he has said would be more equitable for Filipinos and would bring peace and development, especially in the country’s restive south.
Philippine House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, an ally of Duterte, has said it was possible that mid-term elections in May next year would be cancelled if proposed constitutional amendments to introduce federalism pass a plebiscite this year.
However, the no-election scenario has not sat well among Duterte’s critics, who also expressed concern that changing the constitution could see him prolong his stay in power beyond the end of his term in 2022.
Philippine presidents are allowed to serve one term only, lasting six years.
Robredo, who was not Duterte’s running mate, comes from an opposition party and has clashed with him on numerous occasions
She said it was “self-serving” if moves were made to extend terms of incumbent executives.
“We are very much against this no-election proposal because holding elections sums up democracy,” Robredo said during her weekly radio program on Sunday. “This is the only way for ordinary Filipinos to participate in the process of choosing who should lead them.”
Filipinos are due to elect 12 senators, about 300 members of congress and thousands of local government officials in next year’s elections.
Alvarez said the house planned to convene as a constituent assembly early this year to tackle constitutional amendments, including the shift to federalism.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that Duterte has no intention to prolong his stay in power and is even willing to cut short his term.
“He’s willing to let go because he’s not keen really on staying [longer] as president. That’s the truth,” Roque told CNN Philippines yesterday.
However, lawyer Christian Monsod, who helped design the country’s 1987 constitution, questioned the motives of the pro-Duterte camp in the Philippine Congress.
“Is it really necessary to change the constitution?” he told news channel ANC. “My bet is it would be amended, revised to suit the interests of the clans and dynasties in Congress.”
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