Duterte on 2019 ‘no-el’: I will not have any hand in that

President Rodrigo Duterte has distanced himself from moves to cancel the 2019 mid-term polls to give way to Charter change even after a top ally said it would be a “practical” move by the government.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he had asked the President for his position on the no-election scenario in 2019 as floated by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

READ: Palace: 2019 polls to proceed unless new Charter is ratified

“I will quote the President, ‘I will not have any hand in that.’ Talagang hindi po siya payag sa no-el para lamang sa Charter change,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

“Naniniwala po siya sa demokrasya, naniniwala siya sa eleksiyon,” he added.

Alvarez on Wednesday said suspending the 2019 mid-term elections would be practical to facilitate the country’s shift to federalism.

READ: Alvarez: ‘No-el’ in 2019 practical to speed up federal shift

He also said that a people’s initiative could be done if the Senate would not agree to the suspension of next year’s elections.

READ: Alvarez floats people’s initiative for poll postponement

“Pero kung people’s initiative kasi iyan, siguro iyan yung sagot din ng liderato ng Kamara doon sa posisyon ni Presidente na he will not have any hand in it.  Eh kapag people’s initiative na iyan, ano pa ang magagawa mo kung nanggaling na iyan sa taumbayan, di ba?” Roque said.

Under the 1987 Consitution, an amendment to the Charter may be proposed by the people through a petition without resorting to Congress. /Kristine Macasiray, INQUIRER.net intern / muf