Push for federalism not for Duterte: Pimentel

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Friday denied claims that the plan to shift to a federal form of government is designed for President Rodrigo Duterte. (KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Friday denied claims that the plan to shift to a federal form of government is designed for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Pimentel, in a radio interview, made this statement following speculations that the six-year term of Duterte may be extended under the proposed shift to federalism.

He said the shift to federalism has been the advocacy of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) as early as 1982.

“This (shift to federalism) is not for Duterte. Federalism has been the advocacy of PDP-Laban since 1982. President Duterte was not even under the radar yet,” Pimentel, party president, said in Filipino.

“We’re doing this for Duterte? That does not make sense,” he added.

Pimentel added that the benefits of federalism such as creating other centers of power as opposed to the current system where powers are unitary.

“In a federal government, you are creating other centers of power. Now, in unitary, all powers of the executive are with the President. He is willing to let go of some of his powers,” he added.

The Senate President earlier said that the party’s proposed federalism model is meant to create a more economically and politically effective administrative structure based on eleven regions, each with its own regional governments.

He said that this will change in favor of the regional governments since 60 percent would be controlled by the regional governments and only 40 percent by the federal government.