黑料社

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno thinks the proposed shift to federal form of government will have the full support of the public.

In a chance interview over the weekend, Puno referred to the 2016 presidential campaign during which President Rodrigo Duterte became vocal on his stand on federalism and yet he gained the most votes over his opponents.

鈥淚sang issue yan na pinagdebatihan nung mga tumakbo bilang pangulo,鈥� Puno said. 鈥淎t doon sa mga tumakbo, si Pangulong Duterte lang ang may plataporma para sa pederalismo. Yung ibang kandidato, kontra sila sa pederalismo.鈥�

[That鈥檚 one issue that was debated on by those who ran for president. And among those who ran, it was on President Duterte who had federalism on his platform. The other candidates were against federalism.]

鈥淣akita natin yung naging resulta ng halalan. Kaya ayun, isang indikasyon na ang ating taong bayan ay sinusuportahan na ang federalismo,鈥� he added.

[We saw the results of the election. So that鈥檚 one indication that our people will support federalism.]

In 2016, Duterte said federalism was an alternative to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law if this should fail to pass Congress.

搁贰础顿:听Duterte: Federalism an alternative to BBL

Puno also said that now would be 鈥渢he better time鈥� to implement federalism over the country so that the government could tackle the Bangsamoro crisis in Mindanao.

鈥淧ara sa akin ay late na nga tong federalism eh,鈥� Puno said. 鈥淒ahil itong mga nagtutulak ng federalism, isang daang taon na nilang tinutulak ito, pamula pa noong kay Jose Rizal,鈥� Puno said.

[For me, we鈥檙e late in considering federalism. Those who are pushing for federalism have been doing so for a hundred years, since the time of Jose Rizal.] /atm