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(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday, July 24, speculated Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted as Speaker because he was pushing for a postponement of next year’s elections to allow for Charter Change. “Even the President had problems with the call of the House Speaker on no elections. And I noticed that the President was visibly concerned about the pronouncements of the Speaker,” Roque said. According to Roque, the President believes federalism “should be […]
(Eagle News)–The National Union of People’s Lawyers has assailed the federal charter proposed by the Consultative Committee, saying it “falls into the bait or trap of strongman rule.” According to the NUPL, this was because even if there were “progressive” provisions in the draft, it “effectively grants the incumbent authoritarian powers,” allowing him to appoint “all the members of the independent Constitutional commissions and practically thousands of government officials, which could include the judiciary, while […]
(Eagle News) — Senate President Tito Sotto on Thursday, July 19, said he senses the Senate will oppose any term extension under a proposed federal Charter. “I do not want to be speaking for everyone else but that is the sense that I am getting from the rest of the Senate,” he said, reacting to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s proposal the 2019 elections be postponed to immediately give way to a shift to the federal system […]
(Eagle News)– A group allegedly composed of academics has expressed its opposition to amending the Constitution via a constitutional assembly. In a statement on Wednesday, the Professors for Peace said a more participatory approach that includes people from “all walks of life” should be resorted to in amending the Charter for the shift to a federal form of government. It clarified that some of its members supported federalism, others did not. Under a Con-ass, only […]
(Eagle News)– Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday, July 18, said Charter Change or federalism were not needed to achieve “self-governance.” Drilon told reporters the BBL, after all, in itself already grants the same. “(It) is proof we do not need federalism or amending the Constitution in order to achieve self governance or the benefits of federalism that (are) being presented to the people,” he said. He said the BBL would “give extensive power” […]
(Eagle News) — Senator Grace Poe on Monday, July 16, vowed to stop any “Cha-cha express,” saying the “product” of the Constitutional Commission, a “document as important as the basic law,” should be “rigorously studied, and not railroaded.” “I will block any Cha-cha express, especially one driven by people with expiring terms and fuelled by selfish interest,” she said in a statement. According to Poe, she took the “centrist view of giving the Con-com’s product the courtesy […]
(Eagle News) — Majority of Filipinos oppose the proposed shift to a federal system of government, results of a recent Pulse Asia survey showed. The survey, conducted through interviews of 1800 respondents from June 15 to 21, said 62 percent of Filipinos are not in favor of the shift, with 34% opposing it now and in the future and 28% being against it now but may be open to it in the future. According to […]
By Meanne Corvera Eagle News Service The Senate has received the copy of the Consultative Committee’s draft federal Constitution. The document was received by Senate President Tito Sotto from former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, chair of the Con-Com tasked to look into the 1987 Constitution, and former Senate President Nene Pimentel. Sotto said, however, that they would still wait for President Rodrigo Duterte’s formal transmittal of the document hopefully in his third State of the Nation […]
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is open to leading the country’s transition to a federal type of government. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday, July 9, this was provided “it is only until 2022.” “He has made a personal decision. It’s only until 2022. Earlier, if possible,” Roque said. Roque gave the assurance as critics alleged Duterte was pushing for an amendment to the Constitution to ensure his stay in power. Former Chief […]
(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, July 6, dared his critics to make the proposal that his term be limited even before the federal form of government was in place. “I suggest to (former Chief Justice) Reynato Puno and I would like Congress to approve that proposal to make a final change that my term be limited until 2019,” Duterte said in a speech at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay. The President was apparently […]
(Eagle News) — Only one of four Filipinos are aware of the federal system of government, a recent Social Weather Stations survey found. The survey, done from March 23 to 27, 2018, also found that 75% only learned about it when the poll was conducted. According to the SWS, awareness about the federal system of government was highest in Mindanao at 37%, followed by Metro Manila at 28%, Visayas at 22%, and Balance Luzon at 20%. The […]
(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 25, reiterated he had no intention of staying in power. The President made the pronouncement amid his critics’ allegations he was planning to extend his term with his push for changes in the Constitution. According to Duterte, “wala akong hinihingi sa inyong additional power..” Duterte said that in the first place, “I’ve lived with power all my life.” He noted that he was mayor of Davao for 23 […]
