Senate race: New names voice support for same Duterte policies
MANILA, Philippines — While they have differing views on the tax reform law, several senatorial aspirants on Sunday expressed support for major policies and projects of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
These include the proposed charter change, planned shift to a federal form of government and the crackdown on illegal drugs.
Filipino Family Party’s Jonathan Baldevarona; Labor Party Philippines’ Melchor Chavez, Jose Sonny Matula and Gerald Arcega; and independent candidates Allan Montaño, Emily Mallillin and Charlie Gaddi gave a thumbs up to the shift to a federal system of government during the fast talk portion of “Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate.”
Chavez, a labor leader, said that the shift to the new system is for the “welfare of Filipinos,” while Mallillin, a businesswoman, said it is the “only solution to the nation’s problem.”
Arcega said that while he is for federalism, the structure should be federal-parliamentary, not federal-presidential—the system of government chosen by Duterte’s consultative body on charter change.
Charter change
Baldevarona, a businessman, said he is in favor of charter change “to give people the right to formulate laws that are suitable to their culture and beliefs.”
Independent candidate Jesus Caceres noted that reforming the Constitution is needed for the country’s progress.
The others who were in favor of charter change such as Matula, Montaño and Arcega believe the constitutional reform should be done through a constitutional convention. Under this method, the people will elect their delegates to the convention, which will then craft the amendments or revisions.
The House of Representatives last December approved a draft charter contained in Resolution of Both Houses 15, which was principally authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
While most members of the House—dominated by allies of the president—were enthusiastic about amending the current Charter, the Senate has been cool on the matter, with senators previously saying that the proposed charter change is “dead” in the upper house.
Anti-drugs campaign
Several of the senatorial candidates expressed support to the government’s anti-drugs policy but noted there must be changes in the implementation of the campaign.
“Kailangang suportahan natin iyan pero dapat walang patayan na mangyayari sa ating mga kababayan,” Chavez said.
(We need to support it but there should not be bloodshed.)
“Sang-ayon ako sa kontra sa drugs pero ayaw ko ng patayan. Ang police ay to serve and protect, not to kill and destroy,” Matula said.
(I agree with the anti-drugs campaign but I am opposed to killings. The police force’s duty is to serve and protect, not to kill and destroy.)
Montaño said that the war on drugs is one of the best policies of the Duterte presidency but stressed that the execution of the campaign should not violate human rights.
Luther Meniano, a labor leader, suggested that cops must be investigated.
TRAIN law
The senatorial aspirants were split on the topic of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
“May bahagi na pabor ako pero gusto ko sana i-suspend muna ‘yung excise tax,” Gaddi said.
(I agree on some parts but I want to suspend the excise tax.)
Matula and Arcega were likewise not in favor of the provision on excise tax.
Mallillin, for her part, said that TRAIN LAW only benefits “big businessmen.”
Shariff Albani said that the tax reform law should not have been enacted in the first place.
But Montaño and Chavez stressed the suspension of the tax reform law must be studied, pointing out where would the government get the funding for the free higher education law, Universal Health Care Law and the Build Build Build project. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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