PH hangs in balance if Cha-cha tailored after style of single person

Lawyer Christian Monsod. RADYO INQUIRER file photo

What will happen to the county if Charter change (Cha-Cha) would be tailored after the personality and style of governance of President Rodrigo Duterte and then suddenly he dies?

Lawyer Christian Monsod, during Thursday’s Senate hearing, pointed out that in a draft proposal, the ruling PDP-Laban’s timeline to complete the shift to a federal system would take at least 11 ½ years.

“If the plebiscite is held in May 2019, the transition will end at the earliest in 2030,” Monsod, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, said.

“During the transition, with ‘existing’ local government officials [i.e. those elected in 2019] constituting the Regional Commission with both executive and legislative powers until the organic laws for each region are enacted, and the regional officials are elected. That’s the carrot for them to deliver the votes for the Cha-cha train – a term of 11 years from 2019-2030,” he said.

Monsod said the summary of the PDP-Laban’s draft, however, has envisioned a president that would “hold and unite the country and ensure that the transition to federalism will be successful.”

The draft also stressed the need for an “effective president to deal with powerful countries like China and the United States,” someone who can “decisively address the numerous national security problems and natural disaster” and a president that would ensure that “there is no gridlock in our political system.”

“I believe that the president being referred to is President Duterte,” he said.

But the lawyer noted that Duterte himself had promised that he would step down when the proposed shift to federalism is approved.

“President Duterte has said that he would step down when the shift is approved – that would be 2019, his term ends 2022. Can he resist the call that he alone can make sure that the shift will be successful? Monsod asked.

“But what if he dies before his time – he will be 85 by 2030? He has the same ailments of seniors like me. What will happen to the country with a Constitution tailored to his personality, preferences and style of governance?”

“That’s the problem when we place our destiny in the hands of one person rather than on institutions,” Monsod said.

The lawyer clarified that he was not against a federalism per se but said it should be done at the right time “where the pre-conditions for its success are present.”

“Because a messed-up structure change is virtually irreversible and may lead to the ruin of our democracy. I submit that there may be an alternative to consider rather than an immediate structural change by 2019,” he added. /jpv

RELATED STORY

Federalism may fragment, weaken this country, ex-SC justice warns