Erice wants Constitution amended to allow sitting President to seek for a second term

President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the premier screening of the “Rescue in the Philippines: Refuge from the Holocaust” at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (August 07) documentary showed how the Philippines became asylum of approximately 1,300 Jews who escaped Nazi tyranny during World War II. The Rescue was orchestrated by their Philippine President Manuel Quezon, US High Commissioner Paul McNutt, US Army Colonel Dwight Eisenhower, and the five Frieder brothers. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — A close ally of President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday introduce a lone political amendment to the Constitution to allow the sitting President to run for reelection, a move heavily criticized by both opposition and administration lawmakers.

Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice said it is imperative to give President Aquino the right to seek a fresh term to sustain the positive effects of the administration’s reform agenda.

“This is the only way that the Filipino people can be assured that the economic gains we are experiencing will continue,” Erice, a stalwart of the Liberal Party told reporters in a chance interview.

“May pagkakataon ngayon para matuloy ang reforms, kita naman natin ang ating GDP (gross domestic product) tumataas. Iyung credit rating, nag-i-improve ang ratings natin. So, marami ang interesado sa ating ekonomiya, maraming investor and we are the highest and fastestgrowing economy in Southeast Asia. Bihira lang dumarating ito, mayroon tayong Pangulo na matino, may Pangulo tayo na walang ibang passion kung hindi paano ipagpapatuloy ang nasimulan ng kanyang mga magulang na ikinokonsidera nating mga bayani,” Erice expalined.

House Majority Leader Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II said the economic Charter change (Cha-cha) of Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr.

will be a “collateral damage” if political amendments are introduced.

“Now you are asking for direct amendment of the political provision of the Constitution, ang masama diyan magiging collateral damage ang economic Cha-cha ni Speaker,” said Gonzales.

The House Majority Floor Leader explained that economic cha-cha sponsored by Speaker Belmonte will be tarnished and political opponents are expected to capitalized on the move saying that, “see, the real motive is to lift the term limits set in the 1987 constitution and just masquerading as economic Cha-cha.”

He said this despite the honest to goodness intention of the speaker to accelerate the economic gains of the country.