MANILA – A shift to federalism threatens democracy and may pave the way for "constitutional authoritarianism," one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution that the proposed federal charter aims to supplant said Thursday.

Citing portions of the draft constitution that he received from sources, lawyer Christian Monsod said it called for the creation of new institutions with broader scopes and federated regions that will not share sovereignty, among others.

The draft also sought the creation of a transition council headed by President Rodrigo Duterte, which will oversee the shift to federalism until 2022, Monsod said.

Duterte created the consultative committee that drafted the federal charter to fulfill a key campaign promise to spread political power and wealth to the countryside.

Duterte "only knows how to govern through the use of fear and force," said Monsod, a former chairman of the Commission on Elections.

"Charter change not only threatens the spaces of democracy but democracy itself with a new constitution that is likely to allow or facilitate constitutional authoritarianism," he said.

While the draft states clearly that the terms of the President and Vice President’s term should end on June 30, 2022, it does not explicitly ban them from reelection, Monsod said.

"Is federalism a Trojan horse to stay in power?" he said.

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'AUTHORITARIAN RULE WITHOUT CHA-CHA'

After just 2 years in office, Monsod said Duterte gained "control" of Congress, political dynasties and the Supreme Court, where he would have appointed 13 out of 15 justices by 2020.

The President also secured the loyalty of the police and the military after doubling their salaries, he said.

"I am not sure if the President really wants or considers it still necessary to shift to federalism given his almost total control of these power centers," he added.

Monsod said Duterte's influence is evident in the detention of Senator Leila de Lima on drug dealing charges, the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the attempt to strip the Commission on Human Rights of its budget and the extension of martial law in Mindanao.

Citing the book "How Democracies Die," Monsod said Duterte's words and actions point to authoritarian rule, as he likened the President to the late strongman, Ferdinand Marcos.

"I believe we are already on a slippery slope towards authoritarianism even without charter change," Monsod said.