AMID POLL POSTPONEMENT TALKS

Duterte not interested in term extension, Palace reiterates

President Rodrigo Duterte has no interest to extend his term of office and leaves it to the people to decide whether to postpone the May 2022 election that will pick his successor, Malacañang reiterated Monday.

“The President is not interested in extending his term and he leaves it to the Filipino people, the sovereign people, to decide if they want to amend the Constitution to postpone the elections,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a news conference.

Duterte's term will end on June 30, 2022.

Roque added a postponement can only be possible through an amendment of the 1987 Constitution. Commission on Elections chairperson Sheriff Abas, however, said the Constitution allows it through legislation.

"The only way it can be postponed is if the Constitution is amended. Kasi sa Saligang Batas naka-specify 'yung petsa ng halalan para sa presidente, bise presidente, Kongreso, at senador,” he said.

“Ang pupuwede lang ma-postpone ng Kongreso ay ‘yung mga eleksyon na hindi nakasaad sa Saligang Batas kasama na diyan ‘yung mga barangay elections.

The Comelec has said it was not keen on the proposal of House Deputy Majority Leader Mikey Arroyo to consider postponing the May 2022 elections should the COVID-19 situation in the country worsen by that time.

The Palace also said the Philippines still has enough time to prepare for the next elections and could learn from the examples of other countries that conducted elections during the pandemic.—AOL, GMA News