Lacson pushes for passage of a bill naming the president’s ‘designated survivor’

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday asked his colleagues to begin discussions on a bill authorizing the president to name a “designated survivor,” as he called the recent withdrawal of the measure in the House “unfortunate.” of Representatives.

In a statement, Lacson said that the process to pass Senate Bill No. 982 that seeks to guarantee the continuity and stability of operations in the government should be started immediately to “avoid a possible constitutional crisis and a leadership vacuum.” .

READ: President’s ‘Designated Survivor’ Bills On File

“Passing such legislation is not only constitutional. In fact, it is a requirement of the 1987 Constitution, ”said the senator.

Lacson pointed out that by virtue of art. VII, Sec. 7 of the 1987 Constitution, “Congress, by law, shall establish the manner in which the person who will act as President shall be selected until a President or Vice President has qualified, in the event of death, permanent disability or incapacity to the officials mentioned in the next paragraph above ”.

Another provision of the Constitution, he said, establishes that “Congress, by law, will establish who will act as president in the event of death, permanent disability or resignation of the interim president.”

The senator, who introduced the measure in August last year, said recent events involving “exceptional circumstances” such as terrorism illustrate the need to immediately address constitutional limitations on the president’s line of succession.

“Because Congress failed to pass the legislation necessary to extend the line of succession beyond the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a constitutional crisis is possible if all four senior elected officials, God forbid, die in an event like the SONA due to a terrorist attack in Batasang Pambansa, or any occasion when the president and the three officials in the constitutional line of succession are present, ”Lacson said.

Under the Constitution, the presidential line of succession includes the vice president, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House.

“If such a tragedy occurs, who will act as president until the next election of president and vice president, since the constitutional line of succession to the president ends with the speaker of the House?” Lacson added.

He then asked the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Review of Codes and Laws to immediately hold a hearing on the measure.

Lacson added that the committee could also appoint him as chair of the subcommittee, saying he is “willing and ready to sponsor and defend such an important piece of legislation in the Senate.”

Lacson’s statement comes a day after Quezon City Representative Precious Hipólito Castelo withdrew a similar bill in the lower house of Congress.

Castelo explained that his withdrawal from the measure seeks to erase any impression that he is in favor of ignoring or rejecting the constitutional line of succession to the presidency.

But Lacson said Castelo’s play was “unfortunate.”

According to the Senator’s bill, the following elected and appointed officials who are not under any disability to perform the powers and duties of the Office of the Presidency will act as chief executive of the country in the following order in the event of death or permanent disability of those specified in the Constitution:

• the highest-ranking senator, based on length of service in the Senate;
• the highest-ranking Representative based on seniority in the House of Representatives;
• the Cabinet member appointed by the President.

The bill also establishes that the President will designate a member of the Cabinet to be kidnapped in a secret and safe place before any activity, event or public or private function with the assistance of the President, Vice President and officials of rank.

The official actions of the acting president related to the day-to-day running of the government will continue to be effective unless revoked by the president-elect within 90 days of his assumption or resumption of office, depending on the measure.

JE

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