Cayetano: No to Aquino term extension

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –  Senate Majority Leader Alan  Peter Cayetano, an administration ally,  is  against extending the term of  President  Benigno Aquino III.

Cayetano,  who is said to be eyeing the presidency in 2016, said he is all for extending the reform agenda of  the Aquino administration “but not the term of the chief executive.”

“I have been fully supportive of President Aquino and his administration’s ‘Tuwid na Daan’ reforms and platform of good governance which have led to an impressive economic growth. Moving forward, the Filipino electorate must choose a leader who will continue what the Aquino administration has started,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.

“Choosing the next chief executive in the 2016 elections will be crucial. It will determine if we will continue to move forward or go back to a GMA type of governance where protest and instability were constant because of widespread corruption,” said the senator, referring to the time of then President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Cayetano said Aquino has done more than enough for the country and “deserves to enjoy his life with his family” when he steps down in 2016. 

Besides, he said, the President himself as well as Malacañang have said that he was not interested or in favor  of  extending  his term.

“Aside from its economic gains, the Aquino government also proved to be committed to the principles of transparency and accountability by stopping the abuse of public funds and putting powerful politicians-turned-alleged plunderers behind bars,” said the senator.

And while criticisms against the present administration were good to the extent that they serve as check and balances, Cayetano said, ideas and proposals on how to help Filipino families cope with everyday problems should be prioritized. 

“And I see the Aquino government’s sincere desire to do just that. But If we truly believe in President Aquino, we should not endanger his legacy by putting a corrupt official into power,” he said.

“Huwag tayong magpabulag sa matataas na ratings at political propaganda. Magkakaroon lamang ng peace of mind ang Pangulo kung alam niya na ang susunod na presidente ay ipagpapatuloy ang kanyang mga reporma.”

(Let us not be blinded by high popularity ratings and poltiical propaganda. The President will only hav peace of mind if he is sure that the next president would continue his reform agenda.)

When there is zero tolerance for corruption in government, Cayetano said Filipino families will have better access to improved social services.

“Because every peso stolen by corrupt politicians is a peso that should have been spent for services for the Filipino family,” he pointed out.

It was  Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas,  who  first brought the  issue that the President should  stay longer in  Malacañang.

Roxas’  pronouncement  was  immediately  supported by some administration members in the House of Representatives like Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice, who is now pushing for Charter Change to allow the President to seek re-election in 2016.

But   Senator  Francis “Chiz” Escudero, also an administration ally, said any attempt to amend the  Constitution is too late now.

“I have been saying that in the past na anumang pagbabago ng Saligang Batas dapat gawin sa unang bahagi ng termino ng sinumang pangulo para walang duda at gulo na economic provisions lang talaga iyan at kung anuman at hindi term extension. It’s too late for that now,”  he said  during Thursday’ weekly forum in the Senate.

Escudero stressed that   the proposed term extension should  not even be discussed  since it is not allowed by the Constitution.

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MANILA, Philippines –  Senate Majority Leader Alan  Peter Cayetano, an administration ally,  is  against extending the term of  President  Benigno Aquino III.

Cayetano,  who is said to be eyeing the presidency in 2016, said he is all for extending the reform agenda of  the Aquino administration “but not the term of the chief executive.”

“I have been fully supportive of President Aquino and his administration’s ‘Tuwid na Daan’ reforms and platform of good governance which have led to an impressive economic growth. Moving forward, the Filipino electorate must choose a leader who will continue what the Aquino administration has started,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.

“Choosing the next chief executive in the 2016 elections will be crucial. It will determine if we will continue to move forward or go back to a GMA type of governance where protest and instability were constant because of widespread corruption,” said the senator, referring to the time of then President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Cayetano said Aquino has done more than enough for the country and “deserves to enjoy his life with his family” when he steps down in 2016. 

Besides, he said, the President himself as well as Malacañang have said that he was not interested or in favor  of  extending  his term.

“Aside from its economic gains, the Aquino government also proved to be committed to the principles of transparency and accountability by stopping the abuse of public funds and putting powerful politicians-turned-alleged plunderers behind bars,” said the senator.

And while criticisms against the present administration were good to the extent that they serve as check and balances, Cayetano said, ideas and proposals on how to help Filipino families cope with everyday problems should be prioritized. 

“And I see the Aquino government’s sincere desire to do just that. But If we truly believe in President Aquino, we should not endanger his legacy by putting a corrupt official into power,” he said.

“Huwag tayong magpabulag sa matataas na ratings at political propaganda. Magkakaroon lamang ng peace of mind ang Pangulo kung alam niya na ang susunod na presidente ay ipagpapatuloy ang kanyang mga reporma.”

(Let us not be blinded by high popularity ratings and poltiical propaganda. The President will only hav peace of mind if he is sure that the next president would continue his reform agenda.)

When there is zero tolerance for corruption in government, Cayetano said Filipino families will have better access to improved social services.

“Because every peso stolen by corrupt politicians is a peso that should have been spent for services for the Filipino family,” he pointed out.