SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday said he is stumped by the seemingly conflicted stance of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte in moves to amend the Constitution, noting that he based his entire presidential campaign platform on a shift to a parliamentary form of government.
The former president had earlier expressed opposition to the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution, even saying that he was satisfied with the country’s Charter in its current form.
Romualdez said this is tantamount to changing his tune about Charter amendments, saying he ran a presidential campaign that pushes for federalism as a new form of government.
“Unang-una, baka nahirapan naman talaga si president Duterte kasi ‘yung plataporma kaya nanalo sya ay federalismo. Hindi lang ‘yang amendment ng economic provisions, ‘yan yung pagbabago nung buong sistema ng government,” Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives, said.
“Mukhang hindi nya nakayanan eh. Ngayon na may naglulunsad na magandang move for charter amendments, baka nakikita nya na ‘yung hindi n’ya nagawa ay magagawa. Baka mangyari na ngayon kaya sinisiraan nya,” he added.
But the House leader attributed all these statements of Duterte to a “budol-budol” attitude, or saying one thing but totally means the opposite.
“Baka binubudol-budol lang tayo nun. Kasi sabi nya, ‘yan ang basehan kung bakit sya naging presidente. Wala naman siyang ginawa na maayos,” the Speaker noted.
“Sinabi rin nya, ‘di ba, pinag-usapan kanina drugs na bigyan daw siya ng tatlong buwan. Eh anim na taon eh andami-daming drugs pa rin. Yung nangyari, ang daming pinatay,” he added.
Romualdez advised Duterte to exercise caution in his statements, as he himself may have much to answer for during his term.
“Kaya mag-isip-isip na lang muna sya. They are saying those who are in the glass houses should not cast stones. Baka hindi nya alam, marami syang kakulangan, di ba?” Romualdez said.
