FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte told President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to be "contented" and not seek another term.
"Mr. President, be happy and finish your term for six years. Makontento ka na diyan at binigyan ka ng Panginoong Diyos na [maka]pagsilbi sa ating bayan as President... in spite of the fact ng history ninyo pagbaba ng tatay mo hindi maganda (Mr. President, be happy and finish your term for six years. Just be satisfied with your position as God has given you time to serve our country as president… in spite of the fact that your history when your father stepped down was not good)," Duterte said during the Hakbang ng Maisug prayer rally at the Davao del Norte Sports Complex in Tagum City on Sunday evening, April 14
Duterte, who was the special guest of the rally, started his speech by reading the provision of Section 4 of Article VII of the 1987 Philippines.
Quoting the Constitution, Duterte said, “The President and the Vice President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the 30th day of June next following the day of the election [...] and shall end at noon of the same date six years thereafter."
"The President [...] shall not be eligible for any reelection. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time,” he said.
Duterte, also a former Davao City mayor, said the current provision of the constitution, particularly on term limits, is decent.
"Six year, tama-tama lang," he said.
However, the president said the current administration is pushing to amend the Constitution, through Charter change (Cha-cha), particularly Section 4 of Article VII, to allow Marcos to stay longer in office.
"Dili maayo ilang plano pagsugod pa lang anang Cha-cha, nigawas nako (In the beginning of their plans about Cha-cha, their plans are not good, that is why I came out)," he said.
Duterte admitted he was hesitant to attend the rally and speak against Marcos, who was the running-mate of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
"Mao bitaw gaduha-duha ko kay tungod anak nako ang bise presidente. Dili unta ko unta muapil ani apan napugos nalang ko kay murag wa nako kaangay sa nahitabo sa atong nasud [That is why I have doubts because my daughter is the vice president. I didn’t want to join (the rally) but I was forced because I didn’t want what’s happening in our country]," the former chief executive said.
Duterte reiterated his reminder to Marcos not to push through with his ambition to extend his term or else he would end up like his father, the late former president Marcos Sr., who ruled the country for 20 years.
"Mr. President, I hope you would be able to recall what happened to your father," he said.
“Ayaw mo sugot ana kay ngano man? Angayan ba si Marcos nga magpadugay? Angay ba si Marcos tagaan pa natog termino? Unsa man iyang abilidad? (Don’t allow that to happen, why? Is Marcos worthy for term extension? Is Marcos worthy to be given another term?)," he added.
Duterte also reminded the president that he was elected despite his family's political history.
"And yet ang Filipino binigyan kayo ng pagkakataon... ug gipasaylo mo. Ayaw na ambisyona… maguba ka lang (You were given the chance… you were forgiven. Don’t make it an ambition to extend your term… it will just destroy you),” he said.
Duterte, meanwhile, reiterated that he is already retired from politics and won't be running from any position.
Marcos has been a major supporter of Charter change, running as a candidate for the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas during the 2022 presidential election which supports changing the system of government to a Federal republic.
In a January 30, 2024 article by SunStar Philippines, the president is working with allies to identify the best mode to amend the Constitution. He is, however, unsure if the people’s initiative (PI) would remain as one of the options of the administration for amending the 1987 Constitution. DEF
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