Ex-president Duterte being fed wrong info on Cha-cha, says solon

Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte  (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David Suarez believes former president Rodrigo Duterte is being served with wrong information on many issues and and still insists that Charter change is about extending the term limits of officials.

Suarez, in a press briefing in Makati on Wednesday, said this after being asked about Duterte’s latest tirades, where he said that the 1987 Constitution would only be amended to lengthen the tenure of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

According to Suarez, it has been proven several times that the House-approved Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 only proposes amendments to the restrictive economic provisions.

“Well, with my respect to the former president, but whoever is feeding the former president (with) information, that’s wrong.  It’s wrong.  Because the 19th Congress has been clear in our stand regarding economic reform and economic amendments.  Purely focusing on economic issues only,” Suarez said.

“What more evidence do you want than two resolutions that we have already passed?  RBH 6 and RBH 7, focusing purely on economics. Not touching on political (amendments), not touching on any other aspect of the Constitution, but rather with the intent of improving the lives of the Filipino people,” he added.

Suarez also disputed Duterte’s claims that Marcos’ has been idle and was only keen on foreign trips, saying that the government is trying its best to be responsive to the people’s needs.

 “Now on the topic of stating about the performance of the dear President, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, my position is, the President is doing very, very well. Given the situation that we came from a pandemic where the economy was so down.  Now where is the Philippines?  We’re expected to be the highest performing growth in GDP (gross domestic product) in Southeast Asia,” he said.

“Unemployment is down, now we’re addressing underemployment.  The economy is running better, and now, there is a solution presented by our Speaker, our leader in Congress, to lower the prices of rice.  This is a response to the daily problems of Filipinos,” he added.

In a rally in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Duterte once again lashed at Marcos, claiming that the President is imitating his father, the late former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., who extended his term for over two decades.

But Marcos and his allies in the House, like Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, have maintained that RBH No. 7 only seeks to open the sectors of public utilities, basic education, and advertising to foreign ownership. 

Last January 23, Marcos said in a 24 Oras interview that he prefers to prioritize economic amendments.