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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'We won't reach 100 like Enrile': Puno says Concon call doesn't involve political term extension

'We won't reach 100 like Enrile': Puno says Concon call doesn't involve political term extension

Published Aug 12, 2025 04:52 pm

At A Glance

  • Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno's aim for proposing the formation of a constitutional convention (Concon) doesn't include perpetuating power In office among elected officials.
Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno' (left), Chief presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (PPAB, Facebook)
Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno' (left), Chief presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (PPAB, Facebook)


Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno's aim for proposing the formation of a constitutional convention (Concon) doesn't include perpetuating power In office among elected officials.
Puno, 77, made this this clear in a press conference Tuesday, Aug. 12, even as he joked that that he probably wouldn't live as long as former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has.
During the presser, Puno was asked how he could allay fears from both the public and Senate that his and the National Unity Party's (NUP) Charter change pitch via Concon wouldn't involve contentious ammendments like extending the terms of politicians in office.
"Doon lang tayo nagkakaproblema (That's where we encouter problems)," the ranking congressman said, referring to whispers of term extension.
"Pero hindi ako naghahabol ng kung ano-ano. Kaya hindi ako natatakot. Alam ninyo yung mga term of office, alam mo siguro hindi naman tayo tatanda hanggang isandaan kagaya ni Senator Enrile," Puno said.
(But I'm not chasing after anything. That's why I'm not afraid. You know those terms of office, we probably won't reach a hundred years like Senator Enrile.)
"So, hindi naman ako nag-iisip na palawakin ng palawakin yung term of office (So, I'm not thinking about repeatedly extending the term of office)."
At 101 years old, Enrile has practically outlived all of his contemporaries in politics. As such there are countless means about him in connection with his "immortality".
Enrile--currently chief presidential legal counsel--is a multi-term senator from 1987 to 2016. He also had stints in the transitional Interim Batasang Pambansa and Regular Batasang Pambansa from the last 1970s to the mid 1980s.
Puno proposed the creation of a Concon in a privilege speech Monday, Aug. 11 as a week to clarify the "enduring ambiguities" in the Constitution. The NUP stalwart said that these ambiguous and vague provisions have weakend the Charter as the country’s supreme law.
While he acknowledged that the Concon may come up with other suggested revisions to the Constitution, he said Congress (House and the Senate) can impose certain limitations.
"Pero kami dito, naglalapit nitong [Concon]. Ang iniisip ko, basta ang sa amin dapat magkaroon ng [Concon]. Ang gusto lang namin ayusin dito, yung mga vagueness, ambiguities, at yung mga kinakalimutan na banggitin dito sa ating Saligang Batas," Puno said.
(But as for us here, we are pushing for this Concon. What I'm thinking is, for us, there should be a Concon. What we just want to fix here are the vagueness, ambiguities, and the things that were forgotten or left out in our Constitution.)
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