President Rodrigo Duterte. RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
DAVAO CITY—To dispel speculations that he wanted to stay in power beyond the end of his term, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday dared critics to propose to Congress that his term be limited before the transition period in the shift to the federal form of government.
Duterte dared former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno to propose limiting his current term before the transition period and he vowed to fully support it.
“I suggest to (former Chief Justice) Reynato Puno and I would like Congress to approve that proposal to make a final change that my tern be limited until 2019,” Duterte told delegates to the 2018 National Science and Technology Week at the SMX Convention Center here.
In his speech, the President urged the body which he created to review the 1987 Constitution to “make the corrections.”
“Make me stop being President during the transition. In other words, elect a president before you make the transition from the unitary to federal,” said Duterte.
“Elect a president before you make the transition from unitary to federal, I will be willing to accept the proposal,” Duterte said.
“So, I urge Congress and (former Chief Justice) Puno to make the final changes, make me president only until next year 2019 and I will accept it, and the ladies, Robredo, you can have it (the presidency) if you want it,” Duterte said.
“Senate, convince your colleagues,” he said. “Human rights and the opposition, they say, I want to stay beyond 2022? Of course not, sorry to disappoint you, excuse me,” he said. “So, work on that, make the changes now,” he dared.
It was in apparent reaction to Julio Teehankee’s statement that there is no ban prohibiting Duterte from seeking the presidency under the proposed federal form of government.
“It’s like a reboot. It’s a reset,” Teehankee, the chairman of the sub-committee on political reforms, said over Cignal TV’s One News last Wednesday.
The President’s term will end in 2022, but in the proposed federal charter, all elected officials will have a term of four years, with one possible re-election.
The proposed charter provides that the president and vice president be elected in tandem, to avoid instances when the top two highest officials are from different political parties.
This means that if the new constitution will take effect in 2022, Duterte may seek a fresh four-year term and then run for re-election for another term which will end in 2030. /jpv