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[av_heading heading=’Alvarez: No elections in 2019 ‘highly possible’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – The cancellation of the elections in 2019 is “highly possible” if the country shifts to the federal system of government this year, according to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
But the public will be consulted via referendum, which will coincide with the barangay election in May this year, whether or not they wanted the 2019 mid-term election cancelled, said Alvarez.
“I have to be frank: anything is possible,” Alvarez said in a televised interview on Wednesday. “Kapag nag-shift ka into a different form of government, unitary to federal, you need a transition government.”
“Hindi mo pwedeng basta inaprubahan mo ng Mayo, implement mo agad iyan,” he added. “Kung merong mag-question…of course, justiciable issue iyan. Pupunta sa Supreme Court iyon.”
If the majority agrees to cancel the 2019 elections, the term of all incumbent senators would be extended to 2022.
“Iyong senators kasi iyong termino nila hindi sabay-sabay mag-e-expire. May mag-e-expire sa 2019, may mag-e-expire sa 2022,” Alvarez said. “Siguro mas maganda ’pag pina-expire mo lahat sa 2022.”
He added: “Doon naman sa mga matatakot na baka ma-dissolve ang Senate sa federal form of government, pwede naman silang tumakbo kung ano man iyong legislative branch na maki-create ng bagong Saligang Batas.”
Alvarez was hoping to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly this month to discuss the revision of the Constitution and the planned shift of the system of government from unitary to federal./PN
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