(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte has asked both chambers of Congress to speed up its work regarding the government’s planned shift to federalism.
The Chief Executive stressed his vow to sacrifice his current post just to give way to a federal form of government.
“Ako, I am offering my term. Sabi ko nga, ma-craft lang iyan. Wala kayong problema sa akin,” Duterte said in a speech delivered at the third Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Summit in Davao City.
“If you can craft three years from now ang federal set up but I will just suggest that it must have a strong president kundi delikado and parliament,” he added.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Bot [Bebot], dalian n’yo iyan.’ Sabi ko, ‘Matapos kayo dalawa, tatlong taon, I will step down as president.’ You can have my word,” Duterte said, referring to House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez.
Duterte reiterated that only a federal form of government could solve the problem in Mindanao.
“But I think the only acceptable arrangement, as of today, this moment of our generation, and of the lives of the Moro people is federalism. Other than that, bakbakan ‘to,” he said.