Robredo: Suspension of 2019 elections would undermine democracy

The Vice President criticized that extending terms of sitting officials would just mean “self-serving”. (Photo: VP Leni Robredo/Facebook)

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday has expressed strong opposition to the possible suspension of 2019 mid-term election and extension of the term of incumbent officials, attached to the possible enactment of the federal government.

Robredo show took a firm stand against the possible cancellation of the elections, emphasizing that it would undermine democracy.

“This no elections, we are strongly against to no elections. An election is the summarized our democracy wherein it is the only way for an ordinary Filipino to choose his leader,” Robredo said during her weekly radio show, BISErsbisyong LENI.

“Because we, officials, we are not your boss, but we are the voice of ordinary Filipinos. If we will remove their rights to choose who they want to represent the country, where is the democracy there? So, for us, we are against no election,” she added.

The Vice President also said that extending terms of sitting officials would be “self-serving.”

“If we will benefit from that, there will always be questions on our intention why we would like to extend terms. It’s seems self-serving: “We want to extend our terms that is why we will pass a law to extend our contract with the Filipino people.” Where is justice in that?” Robredo said.

The 12 senators whose terms are supposed to expire by then would have to extend their terms if the suspension of May 2019 midterm elections will push through.

It was Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who hinted the possible suspension of mid-term election in 2019 if the government would shift to federalism.

“I have to be frank about it. Anything is possible,” Alvarez earlier said.