Robredo won’t succeed Duterte under House panel’s draft federal charter

A House committee draft federal charter authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other lawmakers skips over Vice President Leni Robredo as President Rodrigo Duterte's successor during the transition period to a federal form of government in the event he is unable to perform his duties.

Article XVII, Section 4 of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments' draft federal charter states that upon its ratification, the incumbent President and Vice President will continue to exercise their powers and functions until the election of their successors, which will be held on the second Monday of May 2022.

"In case a vacancy arises by reason of removal, resignation, permanent incapacity or death of the incumbent President, the incumbent Senate President shall as act as President until a President shall have been chosen and qualified," the section added.

Article XVII refers to "Transitory Provisions," which lay out the structure and status of the government during the transition period until the new federal government is fully operational.

Arroyo herself was Vice President when she succeeded the impeached President Joseph Estrada in 2001 after the Supreme Court ruled that the post was vacant.

Bongbong poll protest

In a phone interview with reporters, House panel chair Vicente Veloso said the decision to have the incumbent Senate President succeed Duterte is mainly due to defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos' ongoing electoral protest against Robredo.

"Remember that this is good only for three years at most; transitory provision ito," he said, referring to the next presidential elections in May 2022.

He then imagined a scenario where the vice presidency could swing from Robredo to Marcos and back again, depending on the recount result and the motions for reconsideration that might arise from it.

"Because of this problem, since [sa] batas natin ang next sa line ng succession to the President ay Vice President at after the VP ang Senate President, may nag-propose na idiretso na lang sa Senate president para walang instability tayo in the occupancy sa napakaimportanteng position ng presidente," Veloso said.

"Tsaka it is not an only ongoing protest, the dispute involves a very slim margin. 'Yun lang naman ang punto ng proponent," he added.

Duterte has openly declared his aversion to the idea of Robredo—who leads the opposition—taking over from him, even saying he would prefer Marcos, who holds no elected position, as his successor.

The draft federal charter's resolution has been endorsed to the chamber's plenary after it has been approved by the panel.

Aside from this provision, the panel's draft federal charter also states that the terms of the incumbent President and Vice President, which will end on June 30, 2022, will not be extended.

Duterte is likewise prohibited to run for President in the 2022 elections under the draft federal charter.

The draft charter also lifts term limits for lawmakers. — BM, GMA News