BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and PRINCE GOLEZ
MANILA – House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she does not plan to become prime minister should there be a shift to a federal government in the country.
In an interview yesterday, the former president and now Pampanga representative said it is impossible for her to be prime minister since the charter that is currently being pushed is that of a “presidential federal” government.
“To begin with, the proposed constitution is presidential federal, isn’t it? So that claim that I will become prime minister is just a black propaganda,” stressed Arroyo.
“I have not seen it (in the proposed constitution) because I have not seen the committee report but the [Consultative Committee was] given by the President the mandate to draft [the proposed constitution] presidential,” she added.
Arroyo also dismissed the plan of former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to postpone the 2019 midterm elections to allow Congress to work on the proposed federal charter.
“No, definitely I am not supporting term extension,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo was formally elected Speaker of the House on July 23, replacing Alvarez, on the same day the President Rodrigo Duterte gave his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Critics said the move was a way for her to be prime minister under a federal government.
Meanwhile, Sen. Leila de Lima said Arroyo’s takeover as new Speaker shows that the Duterte administration is slowly “losing its shine.”
“‘Yung mga kaganapan sa SONA noong Lunes ang nagpapakita na sumasabog na ang pamunuan ni Duterte,” de Lima on Friday said. “Sinasabi nila na galit sila sa kurapsyon at sa mga corrupt. Pero bakit andyan na naman ang mga mandarambong? God save our country!”
Reacting to reports that Duterte was rushed to the hospital after his SONA, the former Justice chief asked: “Is he still fit to lead our country?”
“Dapat sinasabi nila sa taumbayan ang tunay na kalagayan ng kanyang kalusugan. Constitutional duty niya ‘yan na sabihin sa atin,” de Lima added.
Malacañang dismissed the issue, saying the President is in good condition.
“There is no truth to the rumors that the President was rushed to the hospital. The President is in Davao. There is no truth. It is chismis. It is fake news,” Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said./PN
