The Philippine Online Chronicles

The selection of Edu Manzano as Gilbert Teodoro Jr.’s running mate in 2010 lessened the chances (and the worry of many) that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will vie for the vice presidency. But that doesn’t mean that the outgoing Chief Executive won’t seek for another elective office after her term.

From November 20 to 30 aspirants for 2010 will file certificates of candidacies with the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The most controversial question now is, “will she run?”

The President, now 62 is almost near retiring age, but retiring from active political life is far from her plans.

By all indications, Arroyo is eyeing a seat in the Lower House as representative of the 2^nd district of Pampanga, her home province. Running for Congress, is the first step to becoming a Prime Minister.

It was Agrarian Reform Secretary and close ally Nasser Pangandaman who first spilled the beans on Arroyo’s rumored candidacy. Malacanang quickly dismissed the reports, but refused to confirm or deny anything about the growing rumors.

The frequent visits of Arroyo to her home province Pampanga further fueled speculations that she will be seeking for Congressional post particularly the position her son Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo is occupying at present.

Since January this year, Arroyo has visited Pampanga for almost 50 times, making herself “omnipresent in the 2^nd district - inspecting and inaugurating infrastructure projects and distributing donations,” inquirer.net reported.

Palace spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said it’s not a campaign strategy. “The President just wants to leave a legacy in her own province through providing the basic services in all barangays in Pampanga because she came from there.”

Fajardo also thinks the President need not campaign in Pampanga if ever she will run.

Legal flaws

Legally, nothing prevents Arroyo from seeking for lower office. The constitutional ban on her only applies to the presidential post.

Fr. Joaquin Bernas said the Constitutional Commission (ConCom) did not include in the Constitution a prohibition imposed on a sitting President not to run for a lower office because none thought that a sitting President might be so humble as to seek a lower position.”

A Comelec ruling regarding incumbent senators would apply to President Arroyo. She can participate in next year’s congressional election in Pampanga without first having to resign the presidency.

Section 4 of Comelec Resolution 8678 states that “any person holding an elective office or position shall not be considered resigned upon the filing of his certificate of candidacy for the same or any other elective office or position.”

The rule was approved both by Senate and House of Representatives precisely to allow elective officials to fully serve their electorate for a definite term specified by law,” according to manilastandardtoday.com.

This will legally allow Arroyo and other elected officials to “disburse funds for governmental projects until they have finished their term of office, or until May 2010.” Simple analysis concludes that this will benefit re-electionists and “would put them on a more advantageous position than other candidates.”

Comelec dismissed petitions from concerned sectors that the resolution runs counter with the Fair Elections Act or Republic Act 9006.

The Fair Elections Act effectively repealed Section 67 of the Omnibus Election Code that renders any elective official which says that “any elective official except for president and vice president who is running for any office other than the current one is considered ipso facto resigned upon filing the certificate of candidacy.”

These flaws in the law could work advantageously for Arroyo.

Clamor from cabalens

As if to stoke up the rumors, mayors from Pampanga’s 2^nd district reportedly issued a manifesto urging the President to run in the May 2010 polls. It is said that Pampanga folks want Arroyo in Congress and there is a clamor for her to run especially from residents of Lubao, a town notoriously known as Pampanga’s ‘jueteng capital.’

First husband Miguel ‘Mike’ Arroyo said “he would prefer his wife to become an ordinary grandmother to their four grandchildren when she steps down in June 2010.”

But Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s deputy secretary repeatedly insinuated about the President’s intention to run, adding that Arroyo would be an "asset" to the next administration, a report posted.

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno took offense in Suarez’ allusions that the President will run again, saying it’s a bad joke at this time when “Filipinos are more determined to ensure that Arroyo the will be out of politics in the coming years.”

Bernas said there’s nothing to stop Arroyo from running except delicadeza. He added, ‘If I were her, I would not seek a lower office… Now, propriety is another matter,” he told inquirer.net.

Even the Catholic Church said it’s not really proper for Arroyo to run. “We should look into the propriety aspect. If you really want to serve, if the agenda is to serve the common good, serve the public, then this has no logic,” CBCP’s Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III.

Fellow cabalen, University of the Philippines (UP) Professor and social critic Randy David whose family hails from Guagua Pampanga, announced that he will run for a congressional seat in the 2nd district of Pampanga to defeat the possible candidacy of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He said, “I promise that it will not be easy for President Arroyo. She will not get the second district on a silver platter.” Their possible face-off was dubbed as ‘David vs. Goliath.”

Another David, Pampanga Bishop Pablo David, dissuaded Arroyo from running for a congressional seat in the province. ”She should not run anymore after her term ends. She should give others a chance,” philstar.com reported.

Moral and ethical issues

President Arroyo’s possible candidacy for Congress transcends legality issues. It is now a question and issue of ethics, propriety and morality.

It has become public opinion that Arroyo’s possible bid for a seat in the House of Representatives merely means that she is out to get immunity from various criminal and administrative complaints that await her once her term expires in 2010.

From a Senator, Vice President and President in a span of nearly two decades, there is nothing humbling about Arroyo running for Congress. She just wants to be President again.

Even analyst Amado Doronila observed the obvious fact of Arroyo not wanting to leave Malacanang. He said, “… since this is not allowed by the Constitution, she has been tirelessly scheming and conniving with political allies to circumvent the constitutional barriers though devious means such as Con-ass to push for a shift to a parliamentary system as a stepping stone for her election as member of parliament and, from there, to run for prime minister.”

Arroyo’s presidency was always challenged with calls for resignation, ouster and impeachment complaints. In short, Filipinos are fed up with her as shown in consistently negative approval ratings. Her time is up and she’s now left with no option but to step down in 2010. Unless, the Pampanga plan turn out well and succeeds in bringing her back to the Palace after May 2010.

“The game plan now is that Arroyo will run for either a Vice President or Congress seat to ensure control of the next administration, or worse, replace whoever wins the presidential race,” a workers’ group noted.

A Comelec official said it is absolutely okay for the President to run for a lower position if that is her pleasure but a group of fisher folks made sure that Arroyo won’t stand a chance in the 2010 polls even if she runs as barangay captain.

Photo by Alexander Yee. Taken from Flickr. Some rights reserved.