PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday denied he was considering amendments to the Constitution for possible term extensions and election postponement.
Marcos was reacting to the claim of his sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, that there were moves to amend the Constitution through a constituent assembly to extend the terms of incumbent officials until 2031, lower the age requirement for presidential candidates to 35 and cancel the 2028 presidential elections.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Japan, Marcos said there were no discussions about Charter change or term extension within his administration.
“The truth of the matter is we have never at any point even spoken about this anywhere with anyone at any time,” he said during a press conference.
In a privilege speech at the Senate on Monday, Senator Marcos presented what she said was a video compilation containing supposed documentation, footage and statements that she pointed to ongoing efforts to revive Charter change initiatives.
She did not directly accuse the president of involvement, but warned against “dangerous political maneuverings” that could undermine democratic institutions and constitutional safeguards.
The president suggested that the information related to his sister may have come from unreliable sources, and urged her to fire the staff that provided her with the false claims.
“Fake news is a corrosive influence in all sectors of society, in politics, in economics, in actual human relations, et cetera. And if you are not part of the solution, you become part of the problem. And that is a perfect example of that,” Marcos said.
The president also said he watched “with horror” the recent controversies surrounding the Senate as the issues get “personal.”
Marcos, a former senator, said he has observed a shift in Senate discourse away from professional deliberation.
“Very [concerning]. I watched with horror that the Senate has become this,” Marcos said during a media interview in Tokyo, recalling his earlier discussion with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
“Of course, the only basis for comparison that I have is the time that I was in the Senate. And I never imagined that the Senate would descend into this kind of what’s happening right now,” he said.
Marcos said Senate debates during his time were intense and substantive, but lawmakers did not allow disagreements to become personal.
“The discussions have become shallow,” he said.
The president recalled how senators used to have “well-studied” and “no-holds-barred” interpolations during sessions, yet still maintained professional relationships afterward.
“After the session, we would still have coffee together. We would eat together. It was not personal. It’s about work. It’s not about personalities,” he added.
Marcos’ views reflections come in the wake of the May 13 shooting incident at the Senate, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s disappearance from the chamber’s custody hours later and senators’ ongoing clash on a proposal to allow online voting.
“Then it even reached the point of gunfire. Then it turned out the shooting was fake. I do not understand it,” he said.
Marcos echoed concerns raised earlier by former Senate president Franklin Drilon about the Senate allegedly sheltering fugitives from justice.
“The Senate is now sheltering fugitives from justice. How did that happen? I don’t understand how a Senate is supposed to function if those are the kind of things that the Senate is embroiled in. I hope they figure it out soon. I really do,” he said.
The president also rejected proposals to amend Senate rules to allow online voting, saying the measure appeared intended to allow dela Rosa to participate despite being a fugitive.
“I disagree with that. I understand that we had to do it (online voting) in Covid (pandemic) because there was a health risk. But I do not see any particularly good reason for us to allow it now,” he said.
The president said that the amendment seemed to focus on dela Rosa, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
“It seems to only be applicable to Senator Bato, so Senator dela Rosa can vote because he is hiding,” Marcos said.
He said adherence to established rules and procedures should be maintained in all circumstances.
“The long-standing tradition of the Senate is that if you are not physically present on the floor when a vote is taken, that you cannot in fact vote,” Marcos said.
