Leni: No term extension for incumbents

Vice President Robredo in her radio show, “BISErbisyong Leni,” on RMN-dzXL 558 on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018. (Photo from a video posted on her Facebook page)

Any revision of the 1987 Constitution should not benefit incumbent politicians like herself, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Thursday, thumbing down proposals to remove term limits or extend the term of the current leadership.

“What I am not in favor of is passing a new Constitution that will benefit those who did the passing,” she told reporters during an outreach activity in Muntinlupa City.

“For example, we are incumbents. If the new Constitution that will be passed states no more term limits or no more elections, it would not seem right as it gives our people the impression that we only enacted this to benefit ourselves,” said Robredo, who is also the chair of the opposition Liberal Party (LP).

Next to be elected

“If anyone will benefit at all,” she said, “it should be those who are elected next, not us, because the trust of the people is very important to us.”

“If we lose that trust, true representation will be lost. If the ones we trust to give voice to us breaks that covenant, it’s the institution that will be destroyed. And in a democracy, we believe that the strength of the institutions of government are of paramount importance,” Robredo said.

The House constitutional amendments committee is drafting a new Constitution as part of the Duterte administration’s push for a shift to federalism.

One of the proposals is extending the term of House members from three years to five years with no more than two consecutive terms. Another is to extend the terms of incumbent lawmakers in the transition to federalism in 2022 and to do away with the 2019 midterm elections.

The House this week adopted constituent assembly (Con-ass) as the mode by which Congress would amend the Constitution to introduce federalism.

Con-con

Robredo said she had always preferred constitutional convention (Con-con) as the mode to amend the Constitution.

“From the very start, I have always been in favor of constitutional convention because it gives the people the opportunity to choose who will represent them in the [convention]. Second, the constitutional [convention delegates] will be focused on framing the Constitution without being [distracted] by other work,” she said.

“Our worry is that under a constituent assembly, while it’s true… that we will spend less, our lawmakers have quite many responsibilities so they may not be able to focus on the amendments, which to us are very important,” Robredo said,

Between speed and cost, “we should pick the option that ensures there will be focus and gives voice to the people,” she added.

The Constitution identifies three ways by which it may be changed or revised: by the Congress acting as a Con-ass, by constitutional convention or Con-con, or by a people’s initiative through a petition by 12 percent of the electorate.