Some House members say it’s too early to talk about 2022 polls

Some House members on Monday said it is still too early to discuss the 2022 elections, especially those who will seek the presidency.

Lawmakers were asked to comment on calls for Vice President Leni Robredo, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as well as Senator Christopher "Bong" Go to aim for presidency in the coming elections.

In a statement sent to reporters, Deputy Speaker Bienvenido "Benny" Abante said COVID-19 vaccination should be prioritized instead of thinking about the elections in 2022.

"I think I echo the sentiments of many of our countrymen, who right now care more about the pandemic than politics, and who at this moment are thinking about vaccines, not voting," Abante said.

"These are extraordinary times and I believe it is too early and too premature to think about next year's elections; iba mga prayoridad ng ating mga kababayan ngayon," he added.

He said he is more concerned about the enforcement of the government's national deployment and vaccination plan.

Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte shared the same sentiment, saying that the nation's focus "should be on the exigent concerns of overcoming the lingering COVID-19 disease and steering our economy out of the global economic upheaval caused by this one-in-a-century pandemic."

"They have all the right to aspire for the presidency in 2022 should they wish to, and I believe all three of them are competent and capable of becoming the country's next Chief Executive," he said.

"But it is too early to be talking about the 2022 elections," Villafuerte added.

Villafuerte said the legislators and other public officials should focus on helping the national government to be on track with its vaccination program as COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive this month.

"Before we even talk about the 2022 elections, we should all work on helping the Duterte administration meet its end-2021 target for mass vaccination, the success of which will be the only way for us to restore some sense of normalcy and order back to our lives," he said.

Lame duck phase

For his part, Albay Representative Joey Salceda said it is good to have discussions like this as it helps the public to determine what kind of leader should be elected in 2022.

"My only comment is that it should not lead people to believe that we are in the lame duck phase of the Duterte presidency already. I don't think this administration will even have a lame duck phase, given the enduring popularity of President Duterte," Salceda said.

He also said there is sufficient time to pass the proposed economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution "in time for a plebiscite together with the 2022 elections."

"Despite talk of the 2022 elections, those of us in the House leadership team are still laser-focused on important reforms," Salceda said.

Earlier, Liberal Party president and Senator Kiko Pangilinan said they are considering fielding Robredo as its presidential candidate for the 2022 elections.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter, Sara, said she would run for president in 2022 if the opposition would also support her candidacy. — RSJ, GMA News