By Mona Lagbas
February 14,2025, Cagayan de Oro City_Former defence secretary Norberto Gonzales today called for charter change and advocated for transforming the present form of government into a parliamentary system . Gonzales, in an exclusive interview with the Mindanao Reporter, also proposed for a full mandatory military service for all students , citing Israel's and other countries' preparedness and capabilities when internal and external threats arise. Pressed on reviving mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps or ROTC for students, Gonzales reiterated the importance of preparedness, especially with the ongoing crisis in the West Philippine Sea. He said that Chinese incursions in that area are clear and present dangers and that the government should formulate its own defence strategy and not depend on foreign intervention. He added that our country needs to establish more of our own naval bases for our national security concerns, especially now that some neighboring countries pose imminent threats to our sovereignty.
Gonzales, who is a democratic socialist stalwart and who is running for senator in this year's midterm elections, also proposed to revisit the partylist law, saying that this should be prioritized as originally for representation of the poor and not for the convenience of politicians with vested interests.
Gonzales also bewailed what he called as rampant corruption, citing what he called as a controversial 2025 national budget that he suspects would be used for the upcoming polls and branded the alleged anomaly as tantamount to plunder and those involved should be prosecuted.
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