MANILA, Philippines — The non-mention of federalism and Charter Change (Cha-cha) in President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) means that Cha-Cha has already been “laid to rest,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Tuesday. The senator said Duterte’s silence on Cha-cha and federalism during his Sona on Monday “speaks volumes.”ADVERTISEMENT“For me, the non-inclusion of federalism indicates that the Cha-cha was laid to rest yesterday. In an interview with reporters after his Sona, the President said it was “not the proper time” to discuss Cha-Cha or federalism. This, Drilon said, indicates that the President conceded that Cha-cha will not happen during his term. /jpvREAD: Draft federal Charter gets House’s final nodADVERTISEMENTRELATED STORY:Drilon welcomes non-mention of Cha-cha in SonaRead NextLATEST STORIESMOST READ

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 23, 2019 04:18 UTC