The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday that it prefers the version of the federal Charter drafted by the Consultative Committee (Con-com) over the proposal being offered by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies at the House of Representatives.
Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said that while they welcome the efforts of the House leadership, there are “political and electoral reforms” necessary for the government’s federalism proposal.
“We appreciate the effort of the House of Representatives to fast-track deliberations on the proposed reforms in our Constitution so we could realize President Duterte’s agenda of a shift to the federal system of government but we ask the House not to sacrifice the political and electoral reforms that our country urgently needs,” the DILG spokesperson said in a statement.
According to Malaya, he also does not understand why the House opted to remove the Vice President from the line of succession when it has not shifted to a parliamentary form of government.
Under Article 17, Section 4 of the draft Charter filed by Mrs. Arroyo and her allies on Sunday, the Senate President will take over the presidency in case it becomes vacant, and not the Vice President, during the transition period and until a new President is elected.
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Other legislators and lawyers have raised concern over this seemingly deliberate plan to strip Vice President Leni Robredo of her mandate. Robredo called this proposal to remove her from succession a “desperate move” to unseat her.
READ: Leni hits ‘desperate move’ to ditch her
“We ask both the Senate and the House to fully consider all the features of the draft submitted by the Con-com to President Duterte. It’s the product of a non-partisan body with no vested interests,” Malaya said.
“We hope that because of the continuing action by the two chambers of Congress, we shall finally see a new Constitution that embodies our yearning for a modern and vibrant Philippines,” he added. /kga