Is Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri blocking charter change because his eyes are set on running for higher office in 2028?
Zubiri, who won his first term as senator as a result of cheating in the 2007 midterm polls, has been vocal about his opposition to charter change, insisting it’s not among the Senate’s priorities.
Politiko, however, learned that he and two of his colleagues might have an ulterior motive for resisting amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
An Iskooper told Politiko that Zubiri, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian are reportedly eyeing a run for higher office come 2028. The three legislators, who won their reelection bids in 2022, will bow out of the Senate in time for the next national elections, so it’s possible they’re already planning their political survival as early as now.
While the Iskooper couldn’t say who among the three senators are considering running for president or vice president, any of the two positions are possible considering their unbridled ambition.
Gatchalian, a stalwart of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said as recently as July 2021 that he was open to the possibility of running for vice president. Villanueva, meanwhile, might be emboldened to seek the presidency owing to the cult following he enjoys courtesy of Jesus Is Lord Church, the born again Christian organization his father, CIBAC party-list Rep. Eddie Villanueva, established.
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The elder Villanueva ran for president in 2004 but lost. Perhaps his son believes he’s the anointed one who should be in Malacañang?
Zubiri, meanwhile, might be emboldened to run for vice president after clinching the Senate presidency. He’s now third in the line of presidential succession so gunning for the second highest elective post in the land might be on his mind.
Charter change, however, would throw a wrench in the rumored plans of Zubiri, Villanueva and Gatchalian to run for higher office due to the possibility that even the political provisions of the Constitution would be touched, the Iskooper said. A change in the terms of legislators’ office or a shift to a unicameral legislature would affect the careers of the three ambitious legislators.
On Thursday (March 9), Zubiri insisted that charter change isn’t the Senate’s priority and attributed rumors about a possible leadership coup in the chamber to his disinterest in the matter.
“Actually, may source din ako na nagsabi na dahil sa position ko nga on Charter change. Ginagamit nila yung mabagal daw na output ng Senado,” he said at the sidelines of the e-Congress launch at the National Museum in Manila.
It is not the priority of the President, it is also not our priority. Binabatikos na nga kami na hindi namin natatapos yung aming legislative agenda tapos Charter Change pa ang pag-uusapan? Aabot ng taon-taon iyan,” Zubiri added.
The House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for a constitutional convention for charter change. It is expected to pass on third and final reading next week the implementing bill laying out the details for the proposed convention.
