Duterte-Duterte ticket betrays spirit of Constitution —Chel Diokno

An administration ticket billing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for president and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, for vice president in the 2022 elections goes against the spirit of the Constitution on political dynasty, rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno said.

"Definitely, hindi siya sumasangayon sa spirit ng ating Konstitusyon. Kaya nga nilagay sa Konstitusyon na one term ang Pangulo para hindi makapagpatuloy ng political dynasty kung sino man ang nahalal," Diokno said in an episode of The Mangahas Interviews.

(It violates the spirit of the Constitution. That is why the Constitution only allows one term for the President so it won’t lead to political dynasty.)

“Hindi nila pagmamay-ari ang kapangyarihan. That is why sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them,” Diokno added.

Diokno also surmised that eyeing the post of vice president appears to be a strategy for President Duterte to return to the helm of power.

“Baka naman pag nanalo [siya], kung sino man ang kasama niyang kandidato sa pagka-Presidente eh mag-resign, sino ngayon ang papalit? Eh di magiging Pangulo siya ulit,” Diokno said.

Diokno said that if that time comes, the Supreme Court would have to determine the legality of an incumbent President having a second term due to  succession.

“The Supreme Court will have to decide on that. Whether it will be declared as Constitutional or not, that remains to be seen,” he added.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that there is no legal impediment should President Duterte gives in to this PDP-Laban partymates’ call for him to run for vice president next year. —Llanesca Panti/LDF, GMA News