AIan eyes term extension

for solohs, local execs

BY WENDEII VIOILIA
HE has ycr to assume his post as speakel bur Rep
AJan Peier Cayetano has already set his sights on
vhat could be a contovelsial plovision when the
Housd pckles proposals to amend the Coostinr-
tionr to extend dre terms of all congressmen and
or 6vi years (I think there! too much politics
h.canse the three-vear term is too short so if
rhe people will allo* r.ts, I rhink jt should be
fouror hve years)," the incoming spealer said
in a radio intervie.u
Cayetanq who will formally assume the post
as thi new House leader when Dutette delivers

ffiSftt sslnsieht local ofEcials to either four or five yeats.

Cayetano, who was chosen by President
Duterte as the next Speaker last Monday said
the current dtee-year term is too short and
his foutth State of the Nation Address onJuly
22, will be speaker for the 6tst 1 5 months of his
term. He vrill share t}le post with Marlnduque
Rep. Lord AIan Velasco, who will serve for tlle
next 21 months.
WednesdaY, JulY 10' 2019 ' leads to too much Politicking
"Tingin ko kung bakit panay pulitika tayo, Undet the House's dsft of a nevr Constitu-
maigsi hasyado ang three-year term so kung
p^piy^gan t^yo ng t^ong-b^y^n, dapat fout See AIAN ) Paie B3

AI-AN Chatter change, saying he has al-

o that was apptoved last De-
nbet under the 17th Congress,
President and Vice Ptesident
I be elected with each other to
ve four-yeat tetms, subject to
: re-election.
-awmakers, vho should be
ders of college degrees, will also
ve four-yeat terms along with
al government offi cia.ls.
fhe proposal sates that dre fust
:tion undet the proposed new
nstitution will be held on the
ond Monday of May 2022.
)uteite has been batting for
ready asked Cayetanq Velasco and
I-epe Rep. Mardn Romualdez, who
will be the majodty leader, to wotk
to amend the Constitution.
The Ptesident has said it no
longer matters if lav"tnakers do not
want a shift to a federal form of
government as long as the Charter
is amended,
The Cha-cha initiative was ap-
proved by the House of Repre-
sentatives in t}le 17th Congress
but died a natural death after the
Senate sat on it.
Cayetano said he is set to frle
"comprehensive" Charter change
bills, one proposing a shift to fed-
eralism and a "simple" one aimed
at strengtlening the Ircal Govern-
ment Code and empowering the
tural ateas.
The former senator and foreign
affaits secretary, however, said
the House leadership will have to
tread carefully when it attempts to
change the Constitution because
they might be accused of pushing
for personal interests.
",{Jam mo naman pag sinabing
Cha-cha, (iisipin ng tao na) baka
may isingit kayong. mga pulitiko
dyan fou know how it is when
discussing Cha-cha, the p-ublic
thinks that politicians might insert
questionable provisions)," Cay-
etano said.
The next speaker said he will
have to wotk doubly hatd because
he only has 15 months to effect
change "so I want to want to take
a balanced approach to botl of it."
Cayetano said he would vork
towatds achieving a harmoni-
ous working relationship with
members of what he called the
new "DDSM" or the "Die-hard
Duterte Supermajority" at the
Lowet House.
ThePresident has said he wants
constitutional amendments to take
effect as soon as possible, espe-
cially since there are .grumblings
in the military bccause of gmft and
corruption.
Duterte, however, did not ex-
plain how changing tle Constitu-
tion q'ould eradicate graft and
coruption when the present pro-
visions already hold public officials
accountable fot misdeeds.
The Cha-cha version approved
by the last Congress included the
proposal to Jift the term limits of
legislators aad local officials.
Congressmen apptoved Resolu-
tion of Both Houses No.15, hop-
iog that senators will eventually
aglee to convene as a
Assembly (Con-Ass) .nrith them to
amend dre Consdtution,
Senators insist that the voting
be undertaken separately because
they will be easily oumumbercd by
congressmen. The Constitution is
silent on how the voting should be
undertaken.
There has long been a dispute
in the manner of voting because
the Article XVII, Sec. 1 of the
Constitution merely ptovides that
"any amendment td; or rwision of,
this Constitution may be ptoposed
by tle Congress, upon a vote of
tlnee-fouths of all its Members.']