Palace on Binay’s term limits pitch: We don’t share his opinion
As far as Malacañang is concerned, it does not agree with Vice President Jejomar Binay’s proposal allowing the reelection of the country’s top officials.
“Certainly, we don’t share the opinion of Vice President Binay, especially (because) the President firmly believes on a single term,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing Wednesday.
“Because the logic in a single-term presidency is that the President can focus on all that needs to be done within the six-year term,” he said.
Binay said he was open to amending the Philippine Constitution to tweak provisions pertaining to the economy and the term limits of the president and the vice president.
Instead of a single six-year term, Binay said he wants a four-year term that allows reelection.
“Six years is too long for a bad president, too short for a good one,” he said during a media forum in Manila.
READ: Binay open to lifting term limits for president, vice president
Binay’s stand is the opposite of that of President Benigno Aquino III, who earlier said he won’t push for charter change. Citing the dictatorship of former president Ferdinand Marcos, who was in power for 20 years, Aquino said lifting the term limits would be “a very serious risk.”
READ: Aquino: No to Cha-cha, term extension
Lacierda explained that a president should prove his worth during the six years “so that the people will want to see an extension of those six years by way of his successor.”
“He doesn’t have to wait for another four years to make good on his promises on the first four years,” he explained.
Binay is gunning for the presidency while Aquino has yet to announce who he wants as Liberal Party’s standard bearer.
Lacierda said Aquino has already “done so much” in less than six years.
“There are things that need to be done further, but that has to be done and continued by the person who would follow the reforms under the ‘tuwid na daan,’” he said.
During the same media forum, Binay said he hopes Aquino will endorse him.
READ: Palace mum as Binay seeks Aquino backing
