Senators, ex-SC justice clash over Duterte VP bid

Opposition senators and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza have differing views on President Duterte's potential bid for the vice presidency.

Senators, including Franklin Drilon, argue that while not explicitly prohibited, a presidential bid for VP violates the spirit of the Constitution by potentially circumventing term limits through succession.

Drilon cited Article VII, Section 4, which prohibits presidential reelection and limits those who succeeded to the presidency from running for the same office, aiming to enforce a single presidential term.

Mendoza, however, contends that a president becoming VP would be a case of succession, not reelection, which is what the Constitution prohibits.

He explained that succeeding to the presidency due to contingencies like death or impeachment is distinct from running for reelection to the same office.

Conversely, former Commission on Elections chairman Christian Monsod stated that Duterte's move would go against the Constitution's intent, as the VP is in the mandatory line of succession and could be used for self-serving purposes.