Senate of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines鈥揝enators were shocked, some were 鈥渄oubtful鈥� over the reported openness of President听Benigno听Aquino to amend the Constitution and extend his term.
鈥淣agulat ako, hindi ko inaasahan 鈥榶un,鈥� Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, an administration ally, and close friend of the President, said in an interview over DWIZ.
(I was surprised. I did not expect that)
鈥淢arahil听lumalabas听lamang听ang听Cha-cha (Charter change)听talaga听鈥榩ag听patapos听na听ang听term ng听isang听pangulo听para听hindi听sya听maging听lame duck para听ika听nga听鈥榰y听may听tsansa听pa听syang听ma-extend, 鈥榳ag听muna听nating听balewalain鈥� kaya usually听nagkakaroon听ng听usaping听Cha-cha听sa听pagtatapos听ng听termino听ng听sinumang听pangulo听bagama鈥檛听hindi听naman听talaga听seryorso, at听hindi听naman听gagawin,鈥� he said.
(Maybe this issue on Cha-cha comes out when the term of a president is about to end so that he would not look like a lame duck, so people would say, 鈥榟e still has a chance to extend his term so let鈥檚 not take him for granted鈥� that鈥檚 why usually there are talks of Cha-cha听everytime听the term of the president ends though it鈥檚 not really serious.)
As far as he knows,听Escudero听said, Aquino has been counting his days in office.
鈥溾�o听itong听bagay听na听ito听ay听bago听sa听akin,鈥� said the senator.
(So this thing is new to me)
Senator Joseph Victor 鈥淛V鈥澨鼸jercito, an opposition member, said it would be 鈥渟urprising鈥� if indeed the President was entertaining the idea of amending the Charter and extending his term.
鈥淚f its听PNoy听(Aquino) entertaining the thought now, that is really surprising. I hope he remembers why his mother wanted only a one-term president and did not even think of re-election,鈥澨鼸jercito听said in a text message, referring to the late President Corazon Aquino.
While he is in favor of amending the Constitution to tackle certain economic provisions only, he said he would oppose efforts to revise its 鈥減olitical component.鈥�
鈥淟P must remember the democratic essence of听Edsa听(People Power) that includes a six-year term limit for the President,鈥澨鼸jercito听said.
鈥淭hose who are urging President Aquino to extend his term should refrain from doing so, to spare the President from the people鈥檚 anger over this issue.听Maawa听naman听kayo听sa听pinaglaban听ni听Cory! (Have mercy on what Cory fought for!),鈥� he added.
Meanwhile, another opposition member, Senator Vicente 鈥淭ito鈥� Sotto III, expressed doubt that Aquino would seek a term extension.
鈥淚 seriously doubt if the President will cross the legacy of President Cory,鈥� Sotto said in another text message.
He said he was 鈥渄oubtful,鈥� recalling Cory Aquino鈥檚 words when she was discouraging then President Fidel Ramos from pushing Charter Change.
鈥淧resident Cory said: 鈥楨ddie, do not believe people around you who say you are indispensable鈥� or words to that effect,鈥� Sotto said.
Senator Nancy听Binay, also an opposition member, also believes the President would honor what his parents 鈥渟tood and died for.鈥�
鈥淧Noy听witnessed history from the point of view of his parents. Senator听Ninoy听and President Cory fought a regime that believed it had the sole franchise to make the country great.听PNoy听would honor what his parents stood and died for by continuing their crusade,鈥澨鼴inay听said.
鈥淚 am praying na hindi dudungisan ni PNoy ang pangalan ng mga magulang n鈥檡a para lang mapagbigyan ang mga taong medyo walang pagasang manalo sa isang听malinis听na听eleksyon,鈥� she further said.
(I am praying that Aquino will not tarnish the names of his parents just so he can accommodate people who have no chance of winning in a clean election.)
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