As time runs out for the 17th Congress, some senators on Tuesday, October 9, have already shut down the House panel’s draft federal charter proposed by House speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
In a text message sent to reporters, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that the Senate “[does not] have time to even talk about it” adding that he may not even be the Senate President by the time the draft reaches the Upper Chamber.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, meanwhile, called the draft “futile” adding that it could no longer be discussed by the 17th Congress.
“Why do you think so much of that? I don’t think anything will happen to that…. Wala na, patay na ‘yung federalism na yan, patay na yung cha-cha. Next Congress na pag-usapan yan. Wala na ‘yan, futile,” Recto said.
Minority Leader Franklin Drilon echoed the reasoning of his colleagues stating that time constraint is a problem faced by the draft. Drilon even labelled the draft “dead on arrival”.
“It’s dead on arrival…simply because we have no more time,” Drilon said.
The minority leader added that he has personal concerns regarding the draft saying that he does not find the proposal logical and added that the Congress should put its focus on current problems such as inflation, lack of jobs, and high crime rates.
The Senate will be on break from October 13 to November 11 and again from December 15 to January 13 in 2019. Before the 17th Congress ends, the lawmakers still have to deliberate on and decide on the General Appropriations Bill.
VP won’t succeed Duterte in Arroyo’s federal charter proposal
Under the House panel’s draft federal charter, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo cannot replace President Rodrigo Duterte if the chief executive’s seat becomes vacant during the transition period to a federal form of government.
Article XVII, Section 4 of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments’ draft federal charter, proposed by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies, states that both Duterte and Robredo will act as the president and vice president until the federal election on the second Monday of May 2022.
However, if Duterte will leave the president’s seat “by reason of removal, resignation, permanent incapacity or death… the incumbent Senate President shall as act as President until a President shall have been chosen and qualified,” thus excluding the vice president to takeover.
Other provisions included in the panel’s draft federal charter state that the term of the incumbent President and Vice President will not be extended and will formally end on June 30, 2022.
Moreover, Duterte and Robredo will also be barred from seeking reelection under the proposed federal constitution.
