Tag: Mayor Sara Duterte

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Comity vs Enmity at the Debates on the OVP’s Budget

Comity vs enmity: By tradition and in observance of the time-honored comity between the executive and legislative branches of government, the proposed budgets of the two highest elected officials simply go through the formalities of a quorum call, acknowledgement of resource persons and budget presentations. Thereafter, a properly seconded motion recommending plenary action is put into a vote forthwith by the chairperson who will eventually defend the budget before his/her peers.

The enmity between VP Sara Duterte and the designated sponsor, Cong Stella Quimbo, makes the ensuing floor debates on the budget of the OVP an interesting watch.

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On the Urgency for Congress to Refile and Pass the ‘Designated Survivor’ Bill

Image courtesy: House of Representatives

On July 22, the President will deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA). The Senate President will be there, and so is the Speaker of the House. Including the Vice President, the line of succession stops at the House Speaker.

Without passing judgement on the ability of our country’s security forces to do their job well – God forbid – if the 2007 bombing of Batasang Pambansa that killed Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar and a staffer of Gabriela party-list Rep Luzviminda Ilagan would happen again with the direst of consequences, without an enabling law to comply with Sections 7 and 8, Art VII of the 1987 Constitution, we will have a leadership vacuum and a constitutional crisis.

This is exactly the reason why I filed Senate Bill No. 982 in August 2019. I hope it can be refiled and passed by the present Congress.

God bless the Philippines.

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Lacson says Designated Survivor Bill a constitutional mandate [Inquirer]

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer: Former Sen. Ping Lacson said passage of the “Designated Survivor” bill is still necessary, citing a constitutional mandate to appoint a “designated survivor” since the line of succession ends with the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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On the Vice President as ‘Designated Survivor’

This is a rhetorical statement but a good soundbite nevertheless. She is the constitutional successor to the President not needing an appointment as the designated survivor, which by the way is still a pending legislative measure in Congress.

Not only is it a serious matter. The 1987 Constitution actually provides that Congress pass a law in this regard. And for good reason – the line of succession stops at the Speaker of the House of Representatives. God forbid, under an extremely exceptional event that a terrorist attack had wiped out all the 4 highest elected officials, we could have a leadership, hence a constitutional crisis.

In August 2019, I filed Senate Bill 982 to extend the line of succession beyond that of the Speaker. Unfortunately, the bill didn’t even reach the plenary debates in the Upper Chamber. Worse, its counterpart bill in the House (HB 4062) was withdrawn by its author.

Related: Lacson Files ‘Designated Survivor’ Bill to Ensure Gov’t Stability
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On the Prospect of Three Dutertes Running for Senator in 2025

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like the father, the daughter believes that part of wise and smart politics is to confuse and keep them guessing; create an issue that evokes discourse thus accomplishing awareness while getting a glimpse of the pulse of the electorate. That said, I don’t think there is any firm decision made by any of the three Dutertes.

Senate 2025: Three Duterte’s, three Tulfo’s, two Villar’s, two Cayetano’s, two Ejercito-Estrada’s, and the list goes on… because it is what it is – by the people, for the people, of the people.

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