PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he was studying the suggestions to name his close ally, former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to lead the body that will shift the form of government to federal from unitary.
Duterte opened the possibility of Arroyo leading the 25-member consultative body that would study the 1987 Constitution.
“Maybe, maybe, maybe,” Duterte said.
He earlier signed Executive Order 10 creating a consultative body tasked to review the 1987 Constitution.
EO 10, signed on Dec. 7, created a 25-member committee to be composed of presidential appointees.
The committee will “study, conduct consultations and review the provisions of the 1987 Constitution including but not limited to the provisions on the structure and powers of the government, local governance and economic policies.”
The 25-member constitutional commission, which has yet to be formed, will work with lawmakers who will convene as a constituent assembly to rewrite the Constitution.
Duterte, who earlier worked for Arroyo’s release from detention, said he couldn’t see Arroyo working for the Executive branch under his watch.
“No. I don’t think she will accept it. She cannot be working under a President when she was already a president,” Duterte said.
“That will be quite a tall order for her to do that. But representing the people of the district of her own province would be somehow acceptable to even everybody.”
Duterte is seeking charter change to shift the country’s form of government to a federal system to spread political power and government resources to the countryside.
Duterte had earlier ruled out any other government post for Arroyo, who was ousted as deputy speaker for voting against the death penalty.
Duterte earlier shot down speculations that he would appoint Arroyo as governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.