MANILA, Philippines - The guessing game continues as the Palace remains vague and ambiguous on President Aquino’s plans to amend the Constitution to allow him to seek a second term.
Malacañang steered clear yesterday of suspicious moves by pro-administration lawmakers in the House to amend prohibitive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution that reportedly had the go signal of the President, who had also bared he was open to proposals to extend his six-year term.
“There are no movements from the Palace to amend the Charter. There’s no orchestrated move and people are saying there is. There’s none,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
He clarified that Aquino has been very clear about plans to introduce constitutional amendments, citing the case of abuses committed by the judiciary which the President described as “judicial overreach.”
Lacierda, like Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, has refused to categorically shut down speculations about Aquino wanting another shot at the presidency.
“None of the presidents previously have said that and initiatives were done to do Charter change. This is not happening in this case. So that’s being honest. But, again, there are some who believe that the President should do one more term,” he said.
Lacierda repeated their official line that Aquino will have to consult the people, his bosses.
“The President has not made up his mind on that. The President said in his interview that he would consult the people. So everybody has gone ahead of themselves and prejudged the President as saying you’re doing Charter change,” he stressed.
Lacierda added: “You’re violating the Aquino legacy. But that is not where we are. The President just said that I’m just consulting the people.”
He said Aquino is the first president to have been honest about his views on the Constitution.
“‘I’m now open (to Charter change) because of certain judicial concerns. To balance the judicial overreach and also judicial restraint.’ He was very honest about this,” Lacierda said.
Malacañang has defended Aquino’s sudden declaration of his willingness to have another six-year term, insisting he was just being “consistent” with following his bosses – the Filipino people – whom he vowed to serve from the very beginning.