In a forum of the Pampanga Press Club at Widus Hotel here, Honasan said “600 years would be more realistic” in the face of the vow of presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to curb the country’s drug menace within six months of his presidency.
“Solving the drug problem and criminality for that matter cannot be effectively done unless the problem of poverty is first addressed,” he said.
Honasan, whose ratings in surveys for vice presidential candidates have remained consistently low, said that even if he loses in his bid for president, he would still have three years in the Senate.
He said he has been supporting a bill seeking amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act, including the creation of special courts for drug cases and combining under the Office of the President all agencies tasked against illegal drugs.
Honasan also cited the need for judicial reforms, as he pointed out “serious problems in the judiciary which has become politicized.”
At the same time, Honasan admitted that his decision to run for vice president with presidential contender Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay came “rather late.”
“When Binay was high in the ratings, there were so many in the list of his possible running mates. Then the issues (against Binay) came out and I was the only one left,” he said.
Meanwhile, Honasan also bared plans for Charter change that would provide reelection for a “good president.” He lamented that development plans in the Philippines have never been long term because they last only for the duration of the term of their elected political proponents.
He recalled that during the term of former Pres. Ramos, the Philippines was dubbed as “Tiger Economy,” but that economic progress halted after the Ramos administration.
“It could have continued had Ramos been entitled to a second term of another six years. We need long term development plans,” he stressed.
