Four of five campaign promises already fulfilled by Duterte: Palace

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The shift to federal government is the only commitment left for President Rodrigo Duterte to fulfill as the president already achieved four of his five campaign promises, Malacañang said.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar dismissed possible dictatorship on the establishment of a federal government, saying Duterte is ready to step down from office once the campaign promise was realized.

“Four of the promises of the President have been fulfilled. Only one remains…The fifth is federalism. Once it becomes a law, once the form of our government is changed, the President said he would step down,” Andanar said in an interview over radio dzRB.

Andanar added that the president stood firm in its promise to uplift Filipinos from poverty, to curb corruption, and uphold peace and order by addressing illegal drugs and criminality.

The secretary said that government efforts to solve poverty include the signing of a law granting free tuition to students of state universities and colleges and the signing of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law, which exempts low-wage earners from paying income tax.

Andanar added that the dismissal of Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator Marcial Amaro III for supposed “excessive” overseas trips indicates Duterte’s vow to combat corruption by sacking government officials involved in irregularities.

In fighting criminality and narcotics, he said that crime rate and supply of illegal drugs in the country has dropped, citing the crime volume from January to October.

According to police data, crime volume from the said months reached 452,204, 8.44 percent than the 493, 912 cases recorded in the same period last year.

For his part, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque also slammed the opposition for claiming that Duterte wants to follow late president Ferdinand Marcos.

“The President has no wish to extend his term and has said that on the contrary, he is open to shortening it if and when Constitution is amended,” Roque said.