Alan Cayetano disagrees with Duterte: No need for martial law to end corruption

Martial law is unnecessary to end corruption in the country, former Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano said on Thursday.

Cayetano made the remark a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte said during his State of the Nation Address that the emergency measure was needed "to change the system".

Cayetano was Duterte's  running mate in the 2010 elections.

According to a report on "24 Oras" on Thursday, Cayetano said that while he supported Duterte, it didn't mean that he would always agree with him.

"I support the president but that doesn't mean that I think everything he does is right or lahat ng policy niya ay tama," Cayetano said.

"Si Lee Kuan Yew noong tinanggal niya korapsyon sa Singapore, hindi nangailangan ng martial law," he added.

"Sa Pilipinas po, talamak pa rin ang korapsyon at wala namang nagde-deny noon pero mali namang sabihing mas korap kaysa sa dati kaya mismo ang presidente nagbibigay ng frustration sa korapsyon," Cayetano said.

In his last SONA, Duterte indicated that the only way to change the system of corruption was to declare martial law.

Duterte said nobody could actually prevent corruption unless one overhauled the government.

However, his spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte's advice to his successor to declare martial law in order to rid the government of corruption is just an "expression of frustration" and should not be taken literally.

Cayetano said there were proven principles, systems, programs, and laws around the world that the Philippines can adapt to eliminate corruption.

He previously said he was considering running for president in Eleksyon 2022. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/NB, GMA News