Duterte will respect Senate independence – Palace

Senate of the Philippines. (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte would respect the Senate’s independence even if administration candidates dominated the senatorial race in the 2019 midterm elections.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued this statement, saying “the history of the Senate shows members of the chamber independent ever since.”

“No Senate has ever been under any president, they always rise above parties and considerations when issues involve national interest, national security and the interest of the Filipino people,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

The Palace official allayed fears that the Senate would become a Palace rubberstamp with the impending proclamation of Duterte-backed candidates as senators.

“We expect them to be (faithful) to the duties imposed to them by the Constitution and the laws,” he said.

Panelo, however, said Malacañang expects the newly-elected senators to support the President’s legislative agenda that is “for the good of the people.”

“They have to support the President when the agenda of the President is for the good of the people and they will have to oppose it if they feel in their conscience that it ran counter to the interest of the nation,” he said.

Duterte, he said, won’t take it against his allies even if they oppose him.

“No. If you noticed during the campaign, he keeps on saying about Senator Angara that ‘I like this man who keeps criticizing me and yet he has reasons, valid reasons for that’,” he said.

Panelo said the Duterte administration would continue to push for federalism. /kga