If the postponement of last year’s barangay elections reminded us of anything, it’s that the Duterte administration can now move to entrench itself in power.
Such is the looming scenario foisted on the Filipino people by Congress when its top leaders acknowledged that President Rodrigo Duterte’s term of office and the terms of office of lawmakers can be extended when its push for federalism succeeds.
Based on the proposed timetable of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Congress or at least the Lower House will finish deliberations on Charter change that will, among other things, amend the existing presidential form into a federal form of government within the first half of this year.
Counting the deliberations on the Senate’s part, Congress may submit their proposed Charter change through a plebiscite in May next year in time for the national elections which Alvarez said should be scrapped and in effect, extend the terms of lawmakers and other local officials nationwide.
Should the people vote in favor of federalism, President Duterte’s term can be extended since the shift to federalism would require a transitory period which may allow him to stay beyond 2022 to the chagrin of his fiercest critics.
Thankfully for the President’s detractors, questions arose on how Charter change will be conducted as well as both the timing and public support on this initiative.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III was adamant that next year’s elections should continue even with a plebiscite. And while admitting that President Duterte’s term can be extended, he qualified it with the rejoinder that Mr. Duterte can stay longer “if he is amenable to it.”
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque was quick to respond that President Duterte won’t extend his term even if federalism pushes through and his statement is supported by Duterte’s declaration that he will step down if and when federalism got instituted in the country.
But perhaps the biggest stumbling block to Alvarez’s thoughts of clinging to power is the President’s own admission that the campaign for federalism isn’t going as strong as it should be even with his administration’s full backing.
Perhaps surveys to be conducted by both the government as well as the Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia may quell any plans by lawmakers to use federalism as an outlet to extend their grip to power indefinitely.
While there may be a need to amend the 1987 Constitution and perhaps even shift to federalism should it gain popular support, it should be done right and without any moves to extend the terms of office of elected officials whose families have lorded it over their constituencies even without the benefit of term extensions.