Gonzales: Cha-cha bid is not to make lawmakers become prime ministers

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr. Photo from his Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. has disputed claims that Charter change is being pursued because some lawmakers aspire to be prime ministers, clarifying that amending the Constitution would be focused on economic provisions.

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Gonzales was asked about Senator Imee Marcos’ statement about charter change — where the latter said that some people might be seeking to add a prime minister post because they cannot win in an election.

But Gonzales explained that economic provisions, which would supposedly open the country to more investments, are the rationale behind amending the 1987 Constitution.

“Prime Minister?  Wala po, wala akong naririnig na prime minister, wala kaming pinag-uusapang prime minister, basta’t kung pulitika lang ang pinag-uusapan, ‘yong aking term limits, five years and two terms, tapos may re-election lang ‘yong presidente, kamukha ng vice president para may continuity.  ‘Di ba palagi kong sinasabi sa inyo, the continuity,” he said.

“Napakalinaw naman ng aking bill ‘di ba, term limits lang naman at saka economic provisions.  So ‘di ba sabi ko sa inyo kahapon na-file ko na ‘yon in three Congresses — 17th, 18th, and 19th ngayon, so ‘yan pa rin ang ating pina-file,” he said.

Even if calls for charter change touch on political matters — like his own previous proposal — Gonzales said that this would not add the prime minister post, but only change the term lengths and term limits of elected officials.

“Sabi ko nga, ‘yong mga Senador hindi naman sila maapektuhan eh, anim na taon pa rin sila if pag-uusapan natin is the political.  But more on the economic provisions po tayo,” he added.

Gonzales suggests giving presidents, lawmakers, and other local government officials five-year terms, with the possibility of reelection for one more term.

Earlier, Marcos — sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and cousin of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — said that it seems House lawmakers have not learned from past incidents where Charter change was pushed but did not end up in any development.

Senator Marcos said this after Speaker Romualdez and Gonzales expressed hope that Charter change proposals to open up the economy would be considered in 2024.

Prime ministers (PM) are the head of government in a parliamentary form of bureaucracy, where lawmakers in a unicameral Congress select among themselves who would be the PM.

However, Gonzales clarified that he was not suggesting a unicameral form of government, noting that the Senator’s usual two-six year terms are kept intact.

“Sabi ko nga wala naman, ito lang ‘yong sinasabi ko, ‘yong senador andyan pa rin sila, anim na taon, dalawang termino ‘di ba.. Sila naman hindi naman maapektuhan eh, partylist hindi ko rin sinabi.  Ang sinabi ko lang na from congressman, governor down the line kung pwede instead of three years, gawin nating five years na dalawang terms,” he said.

“Tingnan mo ha, next 2025 katatapos lang nung election ng barangay nung October, so next year election na naman sila 2025 barangay elections. So every year parang nag-eelection tayo di ba. Palaging election. So kailangan ayusin natin,” he added.