A term of six years for a sitting president just isn’t enough.
This was the contention of former Chief Justice Reynaldo Puno, a member of President Rodrigo Duterte’s consultative committee, who said that he would instead push for a two 4-year terms which he said would make for a more accountable leader.
“A single term of 6 years is not good because basically if you do not allow a re-election, whoever is the president would not be thinking of his accountability to the people because he would not have to face the people in a re-election,” Puno said in a television interview.
Puno said the current single term for any president is a reaction to the dictatorial rule of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos.
He added that the committee has set forth a proposal requiring the president and vice president to come from the same political party.
Puno argued that a president and vice president from different parties is an “abnormality” as two opposing leaders often may not agree in many government programs.
Power, however, will not be centered on the national government, as the country will have individual states with their own federal legislature and state governments.
Puno said the committee will go around the country to consult with the people on the proposed charter change provisions.
They group plans to submit their draft before Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.