Cha-cha sent to graveyard during Duterte's SONA — Drilon
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s non-mention of federalism in his fourth State of the Nation Address indicates that charter change—one of his top campaign promises—has been laid to rest.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said this Tuesday as he welcomed the chief executive’s silence on federalism and charter change.
“What’s more telling in the president’s speech is not what he said but what he did not say. That speaks volumes,” Drilon said.
He added: “For me, the non-inclusion of federalism indicates that the Cha-cha was laid to rest yesterday. The SONA became Cha-cha’s ‘final resting place.’”
Drilon said the non-mention of charter change and federalism in Duterte’s speech should serve as a sign to lawmakers—especially those who want to extend their term of office—to stop pushing for changing the constitution.
“Hence, those who have plans to revive it this 18th Congress should better think twice. It will be an exercise in futility,” he said.
In his one and a half hour speech, Duterte made no mention of his initiative to rewrite the constitution and install a federal form of government. But in an interview with Palace reporters after delivering his speech, the president said “it is not the proper time to be discussing it now.”
Duterte said is “good but there are certain things that you have to be very clear.”
“Federal is a very loose structure. One has a lot of power locally. So the president will have to have to devise it. Until such time that we have perfected it, there has to be a strong president with the same powers now,” Duterte said.
The president added: “Pero kung ako, I’m out of it because I think that will pass beyond my time.”
In December last year, the House of Representatives approved a draft federal charter on third and final reading. But the Senate killed the effort of the lower house, making good their promise to send the measure to the graveyard.
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