MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte wants an amendment to the party-list system under the 1987 Constitution following his allies move to revive the charter change deliberation in the lower chamber.
In an online interview on Thursday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Duterte does not want to extend his presidential term beyond June 30, 2022, but only wanted to change or remove the party-list system.
“Ang sinabi niya, ‘I want this problem with the CPP-NPA solved. The best way is we remove the party-list system or change it in the Constitution. So we can call for a constituent assembly and amend that,’” Sotto said.
“Mainit na mainit siya doon sa CPP-NPA issue. Ang dating sa kaniya, some members of the House of Representatives, particularly the Makabayan bloc, ay symphatizers or connected with the CPP-NPA,” he added.
“Wala siyang sinasabing term limits, extension of terms, wala siyang sinasabing no election. It’s better if we remove it from the Constitution. ‘Yun ang dating sa akin,” he further said.
This meeting with the President, attended by some congressmen, senators and high-level members of the Armed Forces, happened about two months ago. Aside from the party-list provision, Duterte also proposed amendments to some economic provisions, Sotto added.
The head of the Senate said he is disclosing what they have discussed in the meeting to dispel speculations that the administration wants to open the Constitution in order to defer the upcoming 2022 elections.
“Bottomline, I do not have yet a concensus of whether the majority of the members of the Senate will be able to do it or not,” Sotto said. “Some senators have an apprehension that other agenda may be pushed once the books had been opened.”
Two administration senators – Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino – filed a resolution in December asking both houses of Congress to convene as a constituent assembly for the purpose of amending the 1987 Constitution.
The amendments will be limited to the provisions on “democratic representation and the economic provisions” of the Constitution, the resolution read./PN
