Ex-VP Binay on Cha-cha push before 2022 polls: Baka ipasok iyong pahahabain iyong term

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday added his voice to the criticisms on fresh moves by some lawmakers to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Interviewed on CNN Philippines, Binay questioned the timing of recent moves for Charter change — a year before local and national elections.

“Bakit ba ganun, tuwing malapit na matapos ang incumbency ng Presidente, laging napapasok iyong Charter Change? Luma na ‘yan. Something is being preserved, for the purpose of surviving in their positions,” he said.

“Baka ipasok iyong pahahabain iyong term.”

AKO Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., who chairs the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments chairperson, has earlier said the hearings on Charter change will not be about amendments on political provisions like term extension but about "restrictive" economic provisions in the Constitution.

President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said that he is not interested in extending his tenure as chief executive, even noting at times that he has considered resigning due to the rigors of the job.

This position has been echoed by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, but Binay, who lost to Duterte in the 2016 elections, is not convinced.

“I suppose gusto pa nila magtagal sa posisyon, specifically the President,” he said.

“Hindi ko masasagot [kung seryoso ba na ayaw niya ng term extension] kasi baka maging pulitiko rin. Ang pulitiko, pahele-hele, kunyari ayaw makialam, pero gusto nun,” Binay added.

Prior to running for president in 2016, Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, repeatedly said he is not interested in joining the 2016 presidential race.

He eventually joined, after replacing PDP-Laban's presidential bet Martin Diño. —KBK, GMA News