Palace assures 2016 presidential elections will push through

By: Julliane Love De Jesus - 10 years ago

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—There’s no stopping the 2016 presidential elections, Malacañang said Friday.

Amid calls of President Benigno Aquino III’s supporters to extend his term, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda clarified that Aquino has not made up his mind yet whether he should seek additional term or not.

“The President has neither decided on term extension nor endorsing a candidate. In both instances, 2016 elections will push through,” Lacierda said in a text message.

The Palace earlier admitted that the President might consider amending the Philippine constitution so long as it is what his “bosses” (Filipino people) would want.

But in a press briefing, Lacierda said attaining a “healthy balance (between) the three branches of the government” is a factor the President considers pushing for Charter Change.

“Ayon sa kanya, tila may pagka-judicial overreach ‘yung Korte Suprema.‘Yon lang naman ang kanyang nasabi tungkol sa pag-amyenda sa Saligang Batas. (According to him, the Supreme Court has judicial overreach. That’s what he said about amending the Constitution.)

“So you shouldn’t worry about being a threat to democracy because what we’re after is really a healthy balance between the three branches of government.”

The spokesman also somewhat defended from critics those who were pushing for Aquino’s second term, particularly his close ally Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

“Hindi ko alam kung bakit pa kailangan sabihin ‘yung mga taong nasa paligid niya kung alam naman ng sambayanan na si Pangulong Aquino na mismo ang nagsabi at nagsalita,” he said.

(I don’t know why we need to refer to those people around the President when the public already knows that President Aquino himself has spoken out [on his stand on amending the constitution]).

It may be recalled that Roxas suggested Aquino’s reelection for him to be able to continue his “daang matuwid (straight path)” campaign.