Senator Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday said the government should not push for Charter Change if politicians will only seek personal gain through a “no-election” scenario.
Pangilinan, who is also the president of the opposition Liberal Party, made this comment as the Consultative Committee (Con-com) argued that the President and the Vice President can still hold public office once the federal government is finalized.
“Kung uunahin lang ang interes ng mga pulitiko ay huwag na tayong mag-Chacha (If politicians will just prioritize their interests, then let’s not pursue Chacha),” he said in a statement.
“Hindi tayo papayag na balewalain ang sagradong karapatan ng mamamayan na piliin ang kanilang napupusuan sa halalan,” Pangilinan added.
(We will not allow the sacred right of citizens to choose their candidates in the election.)
Pangilinan also stressed that instead of mulling term extensions for incumbent officials or a ‘no-election’ scenario the government should instead focus on the rising prices of essential commodities.
“Any talk of term extension or no-election scenario leaves a bad taste in the mouth, especially when prices of rice and other basic food items are rising and government has just increased taxes,” the opposition senator said.
Malacañang, however, already announced that President Rodrigo Duterte is ready to step down from his position as early as 2019 once the federal constitution is approved.
READ: No term extension for Duterte — Roque
However, Senator Antonio Trillanes III, a staunch critic of President Duterte, said this is another “trap” meant to lure senators to approve Charter Change.
“That is a trap! Huwag tayo magpapaloko ulit sa mga pangakong ganyan ni Duterte (Let’s not be deceived once more by Duterte’s promises),” Trillanes said.
“Nais lang nyang lokohin at i-bitag ang mga senador para pumayag na mag Cha-cha ng sa ganun ay magahasa na nila ang ating Constitution para mapostpone ang 2019 elections at mapanatili sila sa pwesto,” he added.
READ: Draft charter allows Duterte to seek new term
(He wants to deceive and lure the senators to approve Charter Change so they can rape our constitution to postpone the 2019 elections and stay in power.)
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said that Con-com should have considered the future generation when they drafted the new Charter.
“When it is transmitted to Congress, we must base our decision on what should serve best the interest of future generations of Filipinos,” he said. /ee