The cat is out of the bag.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez gave us portents of things to come with federalism under a new revised Constitution. Note that the key word is no longer mere amendments but a total, complete revision of the 1987 Constitution.
Alvarez, the henchman in the House of President Rodrigo Duterte, said this week it is possible there would be no mid-term elections in 2019. That means congressmen and other local officials whose terms expire in 2019 will stay on as holdovers. Neat.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III of the ruling PDP-Laban party said federalism would also mean no election for President Duterte’s successor. Mr. Duterte, therefore, will be also a holdover president, extending his term of office beyond the six-year limit under the 1987 Constitution. In essence, this is what federalism means under a revised charter in the agenda of a Constituent Assembly. To elect Duterte as prime minister during the transition from presidential to federal/ parliamentary form of government is the game plan of the supermajority in the House of Representatives. With their sheer number in the House, these congressmen subservient to Malacanang can do just that—extend Duterte’s rule by electing him Prime Minister.
This is the Palace playbook, plain and simple. No amount of denial or subterfuge can stop the people from seeing through this charade.
The only remaining barrier to this grand scheme is the people’s consent when the new, revised Constitution is submitted to a plebiscite or referendum. Every citizen who values his freedom and right of suffrage must resist this brazen attempt to subvert the people’s will.
In a press briefing in the Malacanang of the South in Davao, Presidential Spooksman (this is not mistyped because he’s scaring us to death and it’s not even Halloween yet ) Harry Roque tried to dispel talks of a term extension for President Duterte, claiming “it’s out of the question.”
But then, who believes a presidential mouthpiece? He’s supposed to say everything and anything according to script until his statements are disowned by the Boss himself. The people cannot really be blamed for being skeptical about statements coming from the Palace.
Presidential power is intoxicating. Once you have had a taste of it, you don’t want to ever let go. Some hold on to power for half a century, like Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who was placed under house arrest and forced to resign by the military. The 93-year old Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia ) for 37 years under dictatorship.
If President Duterte wants to leave his mark and earn his legacy in Philippine history, he should tell Alvarez and Pimentel to cease and desist from talking about these things. Mr. Duterte still has five years left in his term. What he should focus on is good governance. He should serve out his term improving the lives of the Filipino people.
The 1987 Constitution is vague or unclear if the House and the Senate should vote separately on issues and controversial changes in the revised Constitution. But with the present composition of the Senate, the revised charter can still be rammed through by Duterte’s supporters. What is the inimical implication of a totally revised Constitution?
“We will have a totalitarian regime,” said 1987 Constitutional Convention member Christian Monsod, adding federalism would perpetuate political dynasties and warlordism. He does not believe President Duterte who said he’s ready to step down and cut his term once federalism is approved.
Really, he’s going to hand over power to Vice President Leni Robredo? The veep has not even been invited to ceremonial diplomatic functions at the Palace. Anybody but Leni is Malacañang’s unspoken policy toward Robredo.
Monsod decried the fact that 73 percent of the population does not know anything about the Constitution which is why they are not alarmed at the machinations of Malacanang and Congress. What is alarming is the citizenry’s lack of interest in this very important issue.
We are a happy people, according to a recent Gallup poll that listed us third happiest nation in the world. I guess we are, because we are always smiling even if they are sticking a knife onto our collective backs.
Davao Rep. Karlo Nograles, the chairman of the House appropriations committee, said a Constitutional Convention would cost P7 billion. This is of course to justify Congress convening itself into a Constituent Assembly instead of electing delegates to a Constitutional Convention. Aside from representing Duterte’s hometown of Davao, Nograles belongs to the supermajority at the House of Representatives.
Nograles said the cost of electing the delegates, paying their salary and renting the venue for the Con Con would be staggering. The estimate is most probably less than what taxpayers spend to elect more than 200 congressmen who now want to arrogate unto themselves the revision of the Constitution. As far as the venue is concerned, the Philippine International Convention Center is ideal. Used for international conferences, the government could declare it rent-free for a national undertaking such as a Constitutional Convention.
In an interview over DZMM radio-TV, Pimentel claimed that a federal system would decentralize power presently concentrated in “Imperial Manila.” A federal system, said Pimentel, would create regional centers of power. He also urged pro- and anti-charter change proponents to go out and speak up on the issue.
This columnist has no political affiliation. I’m speaking out on the subject as urged by Senator Pimentel.
There is is an old axiom that says “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The 1987 Constitution, written during President Cory Aquino’s revolutionary government, is certainly broke. It needs fixing. Fine, let’s fix it but don’t do a total overhaul designed to suit certain vested interests.
The present Congress, in the people’s eye, is an extension of Malacañang. So now, the super majority in the House wants to extend the President’s term and also their own by convening themselves into a Constitutional Assembly which would give them reason to scrap the mid-term election in 2019. This is brazen and shameless.
