Concom wants to ban term extension for Duterte, Robredo

MANILA, Philippines — The consultative committee (Concom) tasked to review the 1987 Constitution wants to prohibit term extension for President Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo under a new charter. 

“We specifically provided that the term of the president and vice president, which shall end on June 30, 2022, shall not be extended,” former chief justice and Concom chairman Reynato Puno said yesterday at a forum in Manila.

At Malacañang, presidential spokesman Harry Roque insisted Duterte does not want to prolong his term by serving as transition leader of a federal government.

“That is what the President has repeatedly said... If they need a transition leader, they have to find someone else,” Roque said in a press briefing. “He’s not interested even in becoming a transition leader.”

Puno, meanwhile, said the first national, regional and local election under the proposed federal government would be held without postponement on the second Monday of May 2022.

Puno also emphasized that the term of the winning senators in the 2019 senatorial elections would only be until 2022 as part of the transition from unitary to federal government. “All the terms would end by 2022,” he said.

Asked if Duterte would be allowed to seek re-election, Puno said Duterte had repeatedly declared he would step down after his term in 2022. 

Puno said a 10-man transitory commission would be organized to comprise members who are experts in the fields of economy, law, fiscal management and governance.

A committee of five members – from academe, business, marginalized, women and other non-government organizations – will pick members of the transition commission. – Alexis Romero