Former President Rodrigo Duterte. (Richard Madelo via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that the push for Charter change is meant for the term extension of incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Duterte also drew comparisons to Marcos’ father, also the former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“Ang una talagang gumalaw nito, iniba-iba niya, si Marcos. Maniwala ka’t hindi, after a few decades, ang pangalawang taong gustong kumalkal ng Constitution natin, p*t*ng ina, Marcos ulit,” Duterte said in his speech during the prayer rally of his spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy in Liwasang Bonifacio on Tuesday night.
(The first one who really moved to change it was Marcos. Believe it or not, after a few decades, the second person who wants to overhaul our Constitution … is Marcos again.)
“One term lang ang President, six years, walang reelection kagaya sa akin. ‘Yong Constitution na inabot under which Marcos was elected, gano’n din, one term, six years. Ito excuses na lang ito kagaya nito ni Marcos noon sa tatay niya. Ang punterya talaga nila, ‘yong term extension,” Duterte also said.
(The President only has one term. Six years, no reelection like me. The Constitution during the time when Marcos was elected, it’s the same, one term, six years. These are just excuses like Marcos used to make to his father. Their goal is really that term extension.)
The 1973 Constitution was promulgated shortly after Marcos Sr. declaration of martial law. The transitory provisions of this constitution enabled Marcos to have another term extension as president.
Now, the Congress is discussing amendments to specific economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution crafted after the Edsa Revolution which overthrew Marcos Sr.
But Duterte reiterated that the amendments could lead to a slippery slope.
“Hindi man sabihin na ito lang ang galawin namin, ‘pag nagalaw ‘yong Constitution, p***** i** walang makaka-para, lahat na, everything goes,” the former president said.
(They might only say that ‘this is the only thing we will do’, but ‘if the Constitution is touched, nothing can stop it, everything goes.)
The Senate and the House of Representatives clash on whether they should vote jointly or separately on proposed constitutional changes.
A people’s initiative (PI) campaign was also launched to let the House and the Senate vote jointly on whatever provisions of the Constitution that will be amended.
READ: Comelec suspends proceedings for people’s initiative to amend Charter
The People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (Pirma), who spearheaded the campaign, needs to collect more than 8 million signatures, equivalent to 12 percent of the country’s registered voting population, to fortify its Cha-cha petition.
In late January, the Commission on Elections halted all the proceedings related to the signature drive for PI.