Final Concom draft bans Duterte from running in 2022
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will be prohibited from seeking reelection in 2022, according to the final official copy of the consultative committee's draft federal constitution.
Section 2, Article XXII of the draft charter states that, "The incumbent president is prohibited from running as president in the 2022 elections under the [Federal] Constitution."
Duterte earlier asked the Concom to revise the transitory provisions of the draft constitution as he wants to step down from office by 2019.
RELATED: Why the draft charter's transitory provisions are raising alarms
The commission's mandate is merely recommendatory and Congress will work on the actual amendments and revisions to the 1987 Constitution.
The initial draft submitted to Duterte a few weeks ago assigns him as chairman of the Federal Transition Commission, which will carry its mandate until June 30, 2022.
In the revised draft charter, Duterte will instead call for an election for the transition president and vice president within six months from ratification of the new constitution.
The transition president, who will hold office until June 30, 2022, will preside over the transition to the federal system of government.
Under the revised draft, the transition president, vice president and members of the tramsition commission will also be ineligible to run for any public office in the May 2022 elections.
The transition commission will have "the power to establish its office, appoint and hire its own officials and employees, as may be necessary."
The provision allowing all government officials under the 1987 Constitution to continue to hold office remains under the revised transitory provisions.
Critics have raised concern over this provision as failure to hold elections by May 2022 would indefinitely extend the terms of those who were elected before the transition period.
As stated in the revised transitory provisions of the draft charter, the first national, regional and local elections will be on the second Monday of May 2022.
Transition commission
The draft charter also provides that the transition commission has power to "promulgate the necessary rules, regulations, ordersm proclamations, and other issuances, do all acts to implement the same, and resolve all issues and disputes that may arise before them."
Under Section 7(b), Article XII of the draft constitution, the transition commission will also have the power to "exercise all powers necessary and proper to ensure a smooth, speedy, and successful transition."
The transition plan includes plans for the different branches of government, fiscal management and administration plan, and establishment of mechanisms for people's participation in the transition.
Meanwhile, majority of Filipinos oppose the moves to amend the 1987 Constitution, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey.
The survey conducted from June 15 to 21 showed that 67 percent of Filipinos are against charter change. The same survey revealed that 62 percent of Filipinos are not in favor of shifting from a unitary system of government to a federal one. — Patricia Lourdes Viray
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