Bill extending Duterte’s special powers amid COVID-19 crisis filed in House

MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking a three-month extension of the special powers granted to President Rodrigo Duterte to combat the coronavirus pandemic was filed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill No. 6811 in a move to amend Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act which granted Duterte various powers in relation to the country’s response to the pandemic.

In the bill, Rodriguez sought to extend the effectivity of R.A. 11469 from three months to six months.

It has been more than two months since R.A. 11469 was signed into law and with the number of days of the effectivity of the law dwindling, Rodriguez said that it should be extended since “the end of the pandemic is not yet in sight.”

“There are still new COVID-19 positive cases being reported every day and the country is not yet fully operating,” Rodriguez said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“It is therefore clear that the pandemic will not be over by June 24, 2020. As such, we need to extend the effectivity of the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act and give the President additional time to address the pandemic,” the lawmaker added.

In an earlier statement, Rodriguez urged the leaders of both chambers of the legislative branch to approve the proposed extension before their mandatory adjournment in early June.

He added that if the legislature fails to pass the bill before Saturday next week, the President will have to call lawmakers to a special session during the recess if he wants his emergency powers under the Bayanihan law extended.