MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday offered to resign again if a Constitution that would suit Filipinos' way of life and correct the country's problems would be crafted.
Speaking at an anti-corruption summit in Pasay City, the president offered to tender his resignation as early as the end of this year if an acceptable charter would be written by December 31.
"Maybe it's a dream, but after that, and it's a Constitution that will suit our way of life and correct the evil things there, I will tender my resignation," he told his audience.
This is not the first time that the president has offered to resign.
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He previously vowed to step down should he fails to resolve the country's drug problem in three to six months.
When his self-imposed deadline lapsed, he said that he underestimated the problem and admitted that it would take him more time to tackle the issue.
Duterte also promised to resign if his children would be proven to have dabbled in corrupt activities amid questions over their supposed bank accounts containing millions of pesos.
He called on the opposition, his critics and civic organizations to work with him in crafting a new Constitution which could later on be submitted to the people for a referendum.
The chief executive said, "I will make a deal with Congress and the entire Filipino people. We craft a new Constitution. Many, even I will place my input there."
"Then when it is done this year, I will resign at the end of the year. It would be fitting. The end of the year will mark the end of my political career," he said.
The president said that the new Constitution should strengthen the powers of the Commission on Audit and the ombudsman and have better provisions to prevent corruption in government.
Duterte however emphasized that a system for checking the abuses of the ombudsman and COA should also be put in place.
Months ago, the president blasted the Office of the Ombudsman for supposed corrupt activities of its lawyers handling cases against government officials after Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Carandang bared that a probe was underway into his and his children's bank accounts.
During the same speech in Pasay City, the president slammed anew communist rebels, saying that their corrupt tag on him stemmed from their desire to resume scuttled peace talks.
"You are now clamoring, 'Resume peace talks; resume peace talks.' I have given too much too soon. I have released 32 personalities of the Communist Party of the Philippines just to show good faith, confidence-building," the president said.
Duterte issued an order last week terminating peace talks with Maoist rebels aimed at ending a 50-year insurgency, already one of the longest in the world.
In canceling the talks, the chief executive cited the continued attacks of the New People's Army, a US-designated terror organization, on businesses and security forces as well as their continuing collection of so-called revolutionary taxes.
In later speeches, the president said that the rebel negotiators were also making unreasonable demands that were not within his powers such as the formation of a coalition government.