TROOPING THE LINE. Vice President Leni Robredo as guest of honor at a Philippine National Police event at Camp Crame in August 2017. —INQUIRER PHOTO
The removal of the Vice President as official successor of the President under a proposed draft federal Constitution is a “desperate move” to unseat her.
This was the bold retort of Vice President Leni Robredo amid attempts at the House of Representatives to amend the 1987 Constitution and replace it with a Charter that would pave the way to a shift to federalism and eliminate her position from the line of power succession in government.
“Naisip ko, parang masyado naman yatang desperado. Lahat na lang iniisip kung paano ako matanggal. May kaso sa Supreme Court. Siguro alam nila na hindi magpo-prosper,” Robredo told reporters at an event in Bacolod City.
“Dati, may impeachment na finile. Ngayon na naman, ito ipapalusot sa konstitusyon. Narinig natin iyong iba pang mga kongresista, na hindi nila alam na may ganoong probisyon. Parang nilusot lang talaga siya,” she added.
On Sunday, former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies submitted their version of a new Charter, where the successor to the presidency, in case of vacancy, is the Senate President during transition to a federal government.
Under Article XVII Section 4 of Resolution of Both Houses of Congress No. 15, “the incumbent Senate President shall act as President until a President shall have been chosen and qualified.”
READ: Arroyo federal charter excludes VP from succession during transition
According to Robredo, it is pointless to elect a vice president if he or she would not be allowed to occupy a vacant presidency.
“Ano ba iyong mandato ng Pangalawang Pangulo? Ang mandato ng Pangalawang Pangulo, na kung mayroong mangyari, siya iyong hahalili. Kung aalisin mo iyong mandatong iyon, ano iyong matitira?” she asked.
“Mas mabuti pa wala nang Pangalawang Pangulo,” she noted.
Nevertheless, the Vice President thanked legislators, who spoke against such proposal emanating at the House of Representatives.
Robredo, chairperson of the Liberal Party, then asked the public to be vigilant amid apparent plans to unseat her.
“Pero iyong sa akin lang, para sa mga kababayan natin, pagpapaalala na hindi talaga tayo puwedeng magkampante, kasi ngayon, more than two years after the elections, talagang gumagawa pa din ng paraan para makaupo,” she said.
“Hindi nadala sa eleksyon, ginagawa through other means. Alam naman natin na hindi ito ipapayag ng ating mga kababayan,” she added.
President Rodrigo Duterte previously said that he will resign only if it is not Robredo who would lead the country, adding that she has a weak strategy.
READ: Duterte: Robredo ‘incompetent,’ will never be ready to become President
Durterte also said that if someone should succeed him, he prefers the person to be former Senator Bongbong Marcos, who filed an electoral protest against Robredo on allegations that he was cheated in the 2016 elections. /kga