Ramos says no second term for RP president

Ramos says no second term for RP president

MANILA (Agencies): Philippine President Fidel Ramos has reiterated that he will oppose moves to extend his term in office and said those who had misgivings about his commitment would just have to accept his word.

"Let me be very clear here. I said that any move to amend the constitution for this purpose (of) extending the term of the president or giving him a second term is something that I will oppose," Ramos said in a television interview conducted late on Monday evening.

"If it's for me, I am out of it. You just have to take my word for it," Ramos said, when told of fears in some quarters that he might change his mind.

Ramos, 68, was elected to a six-year term in 1992. The constitution bars the president from seeking re-election and also restricts the time in office for other elected officials.

A citizens' group has launched a campaign to collect five million signatures to force a plebiscite aimed at lifting the term limits on Ramos, members of the Congress and local officials.

It has said economic reforms launched by the Ramos administration could falter if he was not re-elected. Ramos has denied any link with the group and has said he does not agree with its objectives.

Speaking on the question of Myanmar, Ramos said it does not need to democratize to join the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"When the five founding members came in, no one was asked 'Are you a democracy? Do you have a constitutional system?'," Ramos said.

ASEAN was founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Other members are Brunei and Vietnam.

"It's not for us to impose our system on other countries," he added.

Ramos said the requirements for ASEAN membership were accession to a Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and agreement to join the ASEAN Free Trade Area which takes effect in 2003.

Human rights activists and Western countries, led by the United States have been urging ASEAN to hold off on admitting Myanmar as a member because of alleged human rights violations and the military junta's refusal to allow democracy.

At an ASEAN informal summit in Jakarta last month, leaders agreed to allow Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia to join the ASEAN simultaneously but a date has yet to be specified.