Ex-VP Binay opposes federalism
FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay expressed on Wednesday his opposition on the proposed shift to a federal government, saying he is sure that Filipinos will reject the proposed drafts on the federal charter.
Binay, who will run for a seat in the House of Representatives, said a shift to a federal government was “not timely” and would not likely be implemented.
“Federalism matatalo yun, hindi tatanggapin ng Filipino,” said Binay, arguing that federalism was one step to secessionism.
(Federalism will lose. Filipinos won’t accept that.)
While not completely opposed to amending the 1987 Constitution, Binay said the government should instead push for better economic provisions to spur growth in the country.
There are three drafts of a proposed federal charter by the House, Constitutional Commission (ConCom) and the administration party Partido Demkoratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Top Senate leaders in October rejected the draft charter of former president and Speaker Gloria Arroyo, saying time was running out under the 17th Congress.
If Arroyo’s proposal is not passed in the current Congress, it would have to be refiled in the 18th Congress, which starts in July 2019.
Binay admitted not having read the drafts.
The former vice president, whose children are running for office for the 2019 polls, said he particularly opposed the anti-dynasty provisions of the drafts.
“Ako talagang hindi ko sinusuportahan ‘yang anti-dynasty na ‘yan. In the first place, bakit ba lalagyan natin ng prohibition ang mga qualified?” he said.
(As far as I’m concerned, I won’t support the anti-dynasty. In the first place, why will we put a prohibition to those who are qualified.)
ConCom member Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., who had long been pushing for the Philippines to federalize, said Binay should read the drafts and help Filipinos understand it instead of opposing it without completely understanding its implications.
“I have always maintained that the success of the federalism idea will depend on the understanding of the people. Introduced the concept so that it will be easily understood,” Pimentel said in a call to reporters.
Pimentel, disputing Binay’s claim that federalism was “secessionist”, said the ConCom was making sure that it would be prohibited even upon the shift to a federal government.
“We are making sure that secession will be prohibited even if we become federalized. The [Armed Forces] of the Philippines will ensure that secession won’t happen,” he said. NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS
The post Ex-VP Binay opposes federalism appeared first on The Manila Times Online.