Duterte eyes abolition of Congress if elected president in 2016

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to end corruption by abolishing Congress, as well as increasing the salaries of government employees, if he is elected president.

Duterte however, clarified that he has not decided yet to run in 2016, saying he is still waiting for divine guidance.

“I will not run if I think I can’t make significant changes or reforms in our country. That’s why I am still awaiting for a sign from God,” he said.

The Davao mayor said he would replace Congress with a parliamentary federal form of government.

“If we will follow the presidential form of government, it will take us 40 to 50 years before we can achieve the needed reforms,” Duterte told guests during the Federalism Forum here last Thursday.

He also promised to streamline the bureaucracy, privatize the Bureau of Internal Revenue and other government collection agencies, and put an end to insurgency.

He said private and government workers earning P25,000 per month and below would be exempted from paying taxes.

The tax collection system will be simplified to avoid corruption.