Trillanes vows to block moves to amend Charter

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday vowed to block any attempts to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution, saying changing the charter is a "trap" that will only serve President Rodrigo Duterte and other "political warlords."

He conceded that charter change, which would pave the way for a shift to federalism from a presidential form of government, could be acceptable under a "trustworthy" administration, but not one like President Rodrigo Duterte's, he told reporters.

“Kung sana nandirito tayo under an administration na katiwa-tiwala, na 'yung hindi mag-aabuso ng kapangyarihan, pwede eh, diba. Kaso itong si Duterte wala nga sa kapangyarihan 'yung pumatay ng tao, gingawa niya, pagkakatiwalaan mo pa na pakialaman itong Constitution? Bitag 'yan. I won’t fall for that,” he said.

The lawmaker, a vocal Duterte critic, said he disagrees with amending the Constitution, insisting that solving the country's problem rests on its leaders, and not on the system.

“Hindi ako sang-ayon diyan, sa any move na baguhin ang Constitution dahil ako ay naniniwala ang problema ng bansa ay hindi ‘yung sistema kundi yung mga taong nagpapatakbo ng sistema. ‘Yan ang aking posisyon," he said.

He claimed he had studied federalism himself and said it would only increase the power of "political warlords," placing the President and the Ampatuans under the same category.

Dismissing the floated possibility of a no-election scenario floated by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez as a way to "entice" lawmakers, Trillanes claimed the administration's motive behind their bid towards charter change is to extend their stay in power.

“'Yan yung mga pang-engganyo sa mga legislators para kumagat do'n sa kanilang [Constituent Assembly],” he said of the notion that there could be a plebiscite in 2018 and no elections in 2019.

“Pero alam nyo, isa lang naman ang pakay nila dito eh, para manatili sa pwesto beyond their term, and particularly itong si Mr. Duterte," he said.

"Kasi nakita n’yo nga sa Davao as mayor hindi nga siya bumitaw ano, as Presidente hindi rin ‘yan bibitaw. Kasi alam niya ‘pag nawala na siya sa pwesto, ay siya ay makukulong,” he added.

Placing the country under a federal form of government has been a Duterte proposition even while he was on the campaign trail, before he won the 2016 election and assumed the presidency. — MDM, GMA News