Roque: Duterte has no wish to extend term

President Rodrigo Duterte —MALACAÑANG PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte has no wish to extend his term beyond 2022, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated on Thursday.

“The idea of prolonging his term is out of the question. Inuulit ko po walang pagnanais si Presidente pahabain ang kanyang termino, gusto nga niya pong paikilian pa kung pupwede,” he said in a press briefing in Davao City.

(I’m reiterating that the President has no desire to extend his term, he would even want to shorten it if he could.)

Roque stressed this as Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said Duterte’s term may be extended beyond 2022 if the country becomes a federal state.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said a “no-election (No-El)” scenario was possible in 2019.

“As I said, the President has no wish to extend his term. If the Constitution can be amended to provide for federalism and to provide for provisions that would strengthen public accountability, he has said he is willing to cut short his term,” Roque said.

The Palace official said the 2019 elections would push through despite pronouncement from the Alvarez that a no-election was possible.

“The President has spoken on these issues. Number one, the President is the chief implementor of the Constitution and the laws of the land unless and until the Constitution is amended and ratified by the people, elections will push through in 2019 and what the President promises is if elections push through, we will have a credible and honest elections,” he said.

“On the possible term extension, he has said it before, if we can amend the Constitution and provide for provisions that will minimize graft and corruption, he will even resign prior to the end of his term of office in 2022; so the President is considering shortening his term but has definitely rejected even the idea of prolonging his term,” he added. /je