IGINIIT ng Palasyo na nananatili pa ring prayoridad ng gobyerno ang charter change sa kabila naman ng pahayag ni Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III na hindi ito kasama sa mga tinututukan ng Senado para paipasa.
“Shifting to a federal set-up of government remains a priority of the Duterte administration,” sabi ni Presidential Spokesperson at Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.
Idinagdag ni Panelo na posibleng nasabi lamang ito ni Sotto sa harap naman ng kabiguan pa rin ng Kongreso na maipasa ang 2019 proposed budget.
“The disposition of the Senate with respect to this proposal should be understood along with its current and tight situation of addressing the 2019 budget with not too ample time to spare,” ayon pa kay Panelo.
Iginiit pa ni Panelo na inaasahan namang ng Malacanang na susuportahan pa rin ng Senado ang isinusulong na pederalismo ng administrasyon.
“We thus expect the Senate to support the President’s desire for a federal form of government thereafter and see the wisdom of changing the system of government as part of society’s transformation for the betterment of all the Filipinos,” ayon pa kay Panelo.