Ex-CJ Puno urges gov’t to pass designated survivor law

Retired Supreme Court Justice Reynato Puno on Wednesday called on the government to pass a law that would appoint a so-called “designated survivor”, following suit with other countries that follow the said protocol.

“Dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ng ating may kapangyarihan diyan sa Kongreso at sa executive department, itong problema na ito na hindi na-contemplate nung ginawa yung 1987 Constitution,” said Puno during the Kapihan sa Manila Prince Forum, citing the United States, Canada, UK, and Japan as examples.

(Those in Congress and in the executive department should look at this, this is the problem that was not contemplated during the 1987 Constitution.)

Vice President Sara Duterte earlier said that she will not attend President Ferdinand Marcos’ upcoming State of the Nation Address and appointing herself as a “designated survivor”.

In the United States, a "designated survivor" is someone who is assigned to succeed the presidency and kept away while the nation's leaders are gathered.

For Puno, having a designated successor to the president is very important especially amid the ongoing  tension between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea.

“Halimbawa ayan ay nangyari, mayroon ba tayong designated survivor under our laws or under any executive action? Ang essence lang naman ng ganyang batas or executive plan is to prevent any power vacuum in our government,” said Puno.

(If something happens, do we have a designated survivor under our laws or under any executive action? The essence of that kind of law or executive plan is to prevent any power vacuum in our government.)

“Ang essence lang niyan is to assure that there is continuity of our government in cases of emergencies caused by the elimination or permanent incapacity of some of our government leaders,” he added.

(The essence of having that system is to assure that there is continuity of our government in cases of emergencies caused by the elimination or permanent incapacity of some of our government leaders.)

In the Netflix series “Designated Survivor,” the US President is delivering his State of the Union address at the Capitol when bombs suddenly go off and destroy the entire venue, killing the President and all public officials in line of succession. The designated survivor is a cabinet secretary who is elevated as head of state.  

However, several lawmakers downplayed Duterte’s statement saying that she was just referring to herself as next in line to the presidency, while others criticized Duterte, saying she should not joke about the security of the President.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it has not monitored any threats to the upcoming SONA. —RF, GMA Integrated News