Is he singing a different tune?
“In an exclusive interview with News5’s resident legal analyst Atty. Mel Sta. Maria, President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday, August 13, said he is open to constitutional amendments, expressing what he perceives to be a need to clip the powers of the Supreme Court, while potentially paving the way for a second term for himself,” reports InterAksyon.com.
Sta. Maria had asked Aquino this question: “Sarado ba kayo sa pag-aamyenda ng Constitution hanggang ngayon?” (Are you still closed to amending the Constitution until now?)
The President replied: “Bago nito, bago nangyari lahat ng ito, sarado….aminado ako (Before all these things happened, I was closed to it, I admit that).”
Then, he added, “Pero ngayon, napapag-isip ako talaga… yung tinatawag na judicial reach (But now, I’m seriously rethinking things. Because of the judicial reach).”
Aquino then alluded to the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
Then, when asked by if the constitutional amendment the President is now backing would also render him open to seeking another term in office, Aquino said, “Nung pinasukan ko ito, ang tanda ko one term of six years…Ngayon, after having said that, syempre ang mga boss ko, kelangan kong pakinggan ‘yon.” (When I first got into this, I noted, one term of six years. Now, after having said that, of course I have to listen to the people).”
Aquino then quipped, “Hindi naman ibig sabihin..na automatic na hahabol pa ako na magkaroon pa ako ng dagdag dito, ‘no?” (That doesn’t automatically mean I’ll be chasing after another term, right?)”
Aquino then went on to stress the importance of ensuring that “the reforms we began will become permanent.”
Screengrab from a News5 video, as posted on InterAksyon.com
