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.