JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra has broached the possibility that President Duterte might again become the Chief Executive even after his Palace term, if he pushes through with his plan to seek the VP post in the May 2022 elections, and the elected President needs replacing for any of the constitutionally ordained reasons.
Guevarra, a guest speaker of the Rotary Clubs of Makati, Cebu and Davao, said during the virtual open forum that President Duterte would not be violating the Constitution if he seeks the VP post after his term.
If Duterte wins and becomes the next vice president, then he would likely assume the presidency in case the elected President in 2022 dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated.
“That is precisely the role of the vice president, to take over if the elected president dies in office, becomes permanently incapacitated or resigns. That is the role of the vice president, and people are expected to understand that that will happen should they vote for a particular person, to the position of vice president,” the Justice Secretary added.
Guevarra noted that Duterte would not be the first President to run for a lower post, noting that former presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada were elected to lower positions in government.
Arroyo, who was Chief Executive from 2001 to 2010, joined the House of Representatives, and became House Speaker from 2018 until 2019.
After ending his brief term as President from 1998 to 2001, Estrada ran and won as Manila mayor, from 2013 until 2019
“There is nothing in the wording of our present Constitution that prohibits the sitting President from running for the position of vice president. What the Constitution expressly prohibits is for him to be reelected and when we speak of re-election, we are talking about the same position as what he is currently holding . . ..That is clear in the Constitution,” Guevarra explained.