‘No Duterte term extension in federal transition’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang called on lawmakers yesterday to make sure President Duterte is counted out as leader of a transition administration should Congress approve the shift to a federal form of government.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte has openly declared that he is not interested in overstaying as president.

“Consider him out of the question,” Roque said. “I don’t think the majority would want constitutional succession, so they better provide for a transition that would mean that the President will step down in 2022.”

Asked if Duterte’s allies at the House of Representatives and the Senate will abide by his request, Roque said they should take a cue from the President’s statements.

Duterte earlier dared security forces to shoot him if he stays in office a day beyond his six-year term of office.

“If they (lawmakers) wouldn’t listen to what the President said, what do they want? I really don’t know,” Roque said.

Roque also slammed supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo who floated the possibility that she might become the transition president after Duterte openly declared he does not want to stay beyond his term.

Following Duterte’s announcement, Roque said the crafters of the new constitution should also make sure that the Vice President will not become the next leader under a new form of government.

“I said earlier that unless they wanted Leni Robredo to take over as transitional leader, then they have to craft a transitory provision that would – for all intents and purposes – make sure that we would have a new President in 2022,” Roque said.

Roque also remarked before a press briefing that he is not laughing at Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who said he was just joking when he claimed politicians who will not support the federalism moves would get zero budget for their constituencies.

Instead, Roque urged both the House of Representatives and the Senate to act on the pending resolutions without having to discredit each other.

While he does not want to comment on Alvarez’s statements, Roque said the argument on joint voting under the Constitution can be interpreted differently.

“Literally that’s what the Constitution provides. But I think it is also clear that there was drafting error that’s why the Speaker was blaming the

drafters,” he said.

Roque reiterated his views on the issue.

“One is literal interpretation of the Constitution in which case they have to joint vote… they have to vote jointly. The other is… discerning the true intent of the framers and the people when they ratified in which case it should be separate,” he said.

Roque said the issue is to be submitted to the Senate, or if not the Senate, to the Supreme Court for adjudication.

“Both are equally feasible, both are equally tenable and I can argue both sides equally,” he said.

Although Duterte has been harping on the shift to federalism, Roque said it is an administration initiated bill. “We leave it to the leadership and the members of Congress,” he said.

“I think that is something both houses of Congress must discuss. From my brief experience in Congress, Congress is not just deliberative, it’s consensual, you need to build consensus and… the same consensus building will have to be resolution,” Roque said.