Marcos draft approved

Press, 8 September 1982, Page 8

Marcos draft approved

NZPA Manila - The Philippine National Assembly yesterday approved the final draft of a new measure defining the powers of an Executive committee which would take oyer from President Ferdinand Marcos if he died or became incapacitated. An assembly spokesman said that.the new measure, initiated by Mr Marcos’ ruling New Society Movement, is likely to be formally adopted on Friday before the President leaves for a State visit to the United States next week. The Executive committee was set up last year as part of a new Government system. but only 10 of the 15 places on it are now filled. Several Cabinet Ministers and the President’s wife, Imelda, sit on the body. Mr Marcos had threatened on Monday to issue a decree on the succession mechanism if Parliament failed to agree on the committee's powers

before he left for the United States.

Mr Marcos, who will be 65 on Saturday, said he planned to get more people on- the Executive committee and let them run things for a month later this year to allow him to rest.

The final draft of the bill, approved on second reading in a 10-hour marathon session which ended early yesterday, provides that in case of a vacancy the Executive committee will take over the Presidency until the election of a new President.

It also provides that a vote at least three-quarters of all the Cabinet members will be required to determine that the President had been incapacitated and was unable to declare it himself. If the President disagreed with the decision on the Cabinet, the National Assembly would make the declaration by a two-thirds vote of all its members, the final draft of the bill said.