MANILA, Philippines — The final official copy of the consultative committee's draft federal constitution bans President Rodrigo Duterte from seeking reelection but it allows him to run for another position.
Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, committee chair, confirmed that the wording of the draft constitution only bars Duterte from running for president again.
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The Concom chair, however, stressed that the president has been consistent on his pronoucements that he does not want any further involvement in government, whether in an elective or appointive capacity.
"It seems to be absurd wherein the situation is that the person does not want to be president anymore but will run in a position in a lesser capacity... it seems to be very absurd," Puno told CNN Philippines' "The Source" Friday morning.
Puno added that it was Duterte himself who told the Concom to ban him from seeking reelection in 2022 under the transitory provisions of the draft charter.
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."
The Palace has repeatedly said that Duterte is not interested in extending his term as president. "In fact, he wishes it's already 2022," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said earlier this month.
According to Puno, the Concom engaged in a long debate on how to phrase in the draft constitution that Duterte will be banned from seeking reelection.
"Those who will read the constitution, especially foreigners, would think that, 'He must be an evil person that he was banned to run again in 2022' and that does not reflect the truth," Puno said.
The initial draft constitution assigned Duterte as chairman of the transition committee until the first election under the federal charter on the 2nd Monday of May 2022.
The president asked the Concom to revise the draft as he wants to step down by 2019. The revised draft constitution allows Duterte to call for an election for the transition president and vice president within six months from ratification of the new constitution.
Duterte might change his mind about running again but the Concom should not anticipate this possibility by writing it in the constitution, Puno said.
In 2015, Duterte repeatedly said that he will not run for president. The Davao City mayor later on replaced Martin Diño as PDP-Laban's standard bearer for the 2016 national elections.
As for Puno's comment that it would be absurd for a president to seek for a lower post after their term, the Philippines has two former presidents who ran again after their terms of office. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now the representive of the 2nd district of Pampanga while Joseph Estrada is the mayor of Manila.
Some critics have warned that Duterte may seek a seat in the House of Representatives and later on become prime minister under the federal system of government. — Patricia Lourdes Viray