Duterte’s term can be extended under proposed federal system, advocate says

September 14, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte's term will be extended up to 2025 under the federal system being proposed by a political, non-profit organization.

Lito Monico Lorenzana, president and chairman of the Board of Centrist Democracy Political Institute, presented his group's advocacy on federal system during a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.

Lorenzana said under his group's proposal, the first parliamentary elections under the new federal Constitution shall be conducted not later than May 2020.

"To organize the first unicameral parliament under the newly-ratified Constitution with a term of five years up to 2025. Then the incumbent President Duterte, now in a parliamentary form of government in 2022, shall continue --- this is very important --- shall continue his dual presidential role as head of state and at the same time as head of government leading and presiding over the new unicameral parliament. We need him still there up to 2022," he said.

But he said in the transitory provisions of the new Constitution, it could be included that Duterte could serve until 2025 if the people want him to.

"By May 2022, President Duterte steps down as head of state and a new President elected by parliament to serve the remaining term of President Duterte. Or if the people want or then you put that --- you provide that in the transitory provisions of the new Constitution that he will still serve up to that year, okay. This is a choice of the people," he said.

"(F)rom  May 2025 to 2030, the second regular parliamentary elections under the new Constitution is held by 2025 with a five-year term to 2030. We then have a new Prime Minister and a new President," Lorenzana added.

Under the current system, Duterte's term will end by June 2022.

In revising the 1987 Constitution, Lorenzana said there are four critical conditions that should be met first.

He said there should be a political party reform to penalize turncoatism or the balimbings or political butterflies.

There should also be enactment of law banning political dynasties as mandated in Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution; Freedom of Information Act; and electoral reforms that will "put in place a system that will not pervert the will of the populace," he added.

Specifically, he said the Commission on Elections must be reformed to remove all quasi-judicial work and transfer electoral contests and protests to the judiciary.

Duterte, who was a mayor for over two decades in Davao City, has been pushing for a federal form of government. President Rodrigo Duterte's term will be extended up to 2025 under the federal system being proposed by a political, non-profit organization.

Lito Monico Lorenzana, president and chairman of the Board of Centrist Democracy Political Institute, presented his group's advocacy on federal system during a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday.

Lorenzana said under his group's proposal, the first parliamentary elections under the new federal Constitution shall be conducted not later than May 2020.

"To organize the first unicameral parliament under the newly-ratified Constitution with a term of five years up to 2025. Then the incumbent President Duterte, now in a parliamentary form of government in 2022, shall continue --- this is very important --- shall continue his dual presidential role as head of state and at the same time as head of government leading and presiding over the new unicameral parliament. We need him still there up to 2022," he said.

But he said in the transitory provisions of the new Constitution, it could be included that Duterte could serve until 2025 if the people want him to.

"By May 2022, President Duterte steps down as head of state and a new President elected by parliament to serve the remaining term of President Duterte. Or if the people want or then you put that --- you provide that in the transitory provisions of the new Constitution that he will still serve up to that year, okay. This is a choice of the people," he said.

"(F)rom  May 2025 to 2030, the second regular parliamentary elections under the new Constitution is held by 2025 with a five-year term to 2030. We then have a new Prime Minister and a new President," Lorenzana added.

Under the current system, Duterte's term will end by June 2022.

In revising the 1987 Constitution, Lorenzana said there are four critical conditions that should be met first.

He said there should be a political party reform to penalize turncoatism or the balimbings or political butterflies.

There should also be enactment of law banning political dynasties as mandated in Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution; Freedom of Information Act; and electoral reforms that will "put in place a system that will not pervert the will of the populace," he added.

Specifically, he said the Commission on Elections must be reformed to remove all quasi-judicial work and transfer electoral contests and protests to the judiciary.

Duterte, who was a mayor for over two decades in Davao City, has been pushing for a federal form of government. Celerina Monte/DMS