President Rodrigo Duterte is not seeking additional powers from Congress to address issues related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, his spokesman said on Sunday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who is also the chief presidential legal counsel, made the clarification after reports came out that Duterte, who is calling for a special session of Congress on Monday, was asking for emergency powers.

"The letter to Congress signed by the Executive Secretary says powers necessary to carry our urgent measures to implement the national emergency, not emergency powers," Panelo said in a text message to reporters.

In a letter addressed to Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, a copy was posted on ABS-CBN News social media account, the Palace asked the Congress to hold a special session on Monday "to authorize the President to exercise powers necessary to carry out urgent measures to meet current national emergency relating to (COVID-19)."

Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, in a radio interview, explained that the Palace aims to give Duterte "flexibility" to use the 2020 budget.

"Malacañang is only eyeing the usage of the budget under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) or budget for 2020 and to give the President flexibility to use some provisions (under the GAA) for the necessities (to combat) COVID-19," he explained.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are set to meet on Monday to tackle the proposal from the Palace.

Nograles said the Palace will follow the decision from both Houses.

"Of course the Executive will follow the policy which will be pronounced by the Congress," he said. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS