House federalism charter ‘wholesale fraud’

The proposed federal charter drafted by the House of Representatives, which would lift term limits for elected officials, was a “wholesale act of fraud” against the people, according to election watchdog group Kontra Daya.

“It is clear that proadministration legislators are rushing to replace the current 1987 Constitution,” the group said in a statement.

“Extending terms through the scuttling of the 2019 polls via a charter change maneuver is a wholesale act of fraud against the Filipino people,” the group said.

“That would be the worst form of election fraud. Those who are planning to push this dastardly deed should drop the idea because the people are expected to resist,” it said.

Unli term

The House-drafted charter would allow representatives and senators to serve for four-year terms and will also allow them to run for these positions for as many times as they wanted, the group said.

Terms of local government officials will also be increased by a year to four years, and they will also be allowed to run for the same positions as many times as they wanted, the group added.

The President and Vice President will have four-year terms under the House draft charter, with the option to seek reelection.

“The lifting of term limits, or even just a two-year term limit for the President and Vice President, makes imposing this federal Constitution very tempting to the rich and powerful,” the group said.

Changing the rules was not the only way politicians were trying to cheat, though.

Premature campaign

Many politicians are now making their faces highly visible through TV and other forms of ads although the campaign period has not started yet.

But the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it was not part of its mandate to prohibit national and local government offices from engaging in partisan political activities, including the placement of tarpaulins and posters of candidates in the May 2019 polls.

Such is part of the mandate of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

“What governs in that respect, especially now prior to the campaign period, are the CSC rules on the matter,” said Jimenez.

“Bring it to the CSC. It is the CSC that will rule on that ultimately, not the Comelec,” he added.

Jimenez said the Comelec would assume jurisdiction over these politicians when the campaign period starts.