11/06/2009
President Arroyo may yet end up as Lakas-Kampi’s candidate for vice president, serving as the running mate of Defense Chief Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro who is still without a running mate.An administration lawmaker yesterday declared that despite the barrage of allegations of corruption and ineptitude hurled against Arroyo, the Chief Executive will not only make a good vice presidential material but also she is very capable of winning the race.
At the weekly Usaping Balita sa Serye in Quezon City, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said the country’s economic performance from 2001 is enough proof that Arroyo has not fared badly as the country’s head of state and that alone is enough reason for a presidential candidate to draft her as his running mate for the 2010 elections.
“Even the ultra-oppositionist will agree that you cannot be that bad when you have continuous growth,” Suarez claimed.
“The Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) practically doubled when she assumed the presidency, a fact that the barangays, mayors, governors cannot dismiss. If she is inefficient and corrupt, how can you practically double by 1 and a-half or 150 percent of the IRA?”
When asked if Arroyo is indeed running for an elective post next year and for what position, Suarez retorted: “She cannot run for the president but she can run for another position, such as vice president, senator, governor, mayor or even congressman.
But Arroyo appears to be eyeing the congressional seat of her district in Pampanga even as Suarez said that the issue had already been discussed by Lakas-Kampi-CMD members in a meeting.
“President Arroyo will be a good speaker, she can also be a good vice president,” Suarez said during the weekly Usaping Balita Media Forum.
“We briefly discussed the possibility of her running for a House seat,” the Quezon lawmaker said.
Lawyer Reginald Velasco, on Wednesday, said that the Lakas Kampi CMD is now looking beyond the 2010 elections including the possibility of Charter change under Speaker Arroyo.
Suarez pointed out that Arroyo is still young and may not like the idea of retiring from public service.
In fact, he said, Arroyo may want to pursue revenue generating measures that the present Congress has failed to pass.
For the past several months there were speculations that Arroyo is planning to run for Congress, vice her son, Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo because of her persistent visits to her home province.
Highly placed sources from the Lakas Kampi CMD said Arroyo’s run for congressman of Pampanga’s 2nd District was a consequence of the failure of the administration to amend the Constitution and allow her to run for a second term.
The same source said Arroyo would be running for Speaker after the 2010 polls and subsequently push a change in the form of government from the presidential to parliamentary where she would become the prime minister.
Suarez said President Arroyo could easily win the House speakership race.
“But the best thing is to convince her to run as vice (president),” Suarez said, but added that he is not certain about the plans of Arroyo, after 2010.
“As a vice president, she could be given another portfolio, no different from that which Sen. Manny Villar did, while looking at Sen. Loren Legarda as his vice president, giving her the post of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) chief, because of her advocacy,” he added.
“Let’s put it this way, you have a vice president who has experience and the kind of caliber that is GMA, you will be an asset,” Suarez stressed.
When asked by reporters whether Suarez thought Arroyo can win the vice presidential race, he replied: “Yes, she is winnable.”
Yesterday, the Tribune, in its editorial, raised the possibility of Arroyo seeking the vice presidency.
Suarez added that if Arroyo, instead, decides to run for a seat in Congress, the President could also seek the Speakership, a position which he said she is most qualified.
“Looking at her graphic experience, if she runs for a seat in Congress, she can be a good speaker as well,” said Suarez.
Teodoro, the administration’s standard bearer and his party, have been having a difficult time getting a running mate. Offers have been made to Legarda, Sen., Ramon “Bong” Revilla, TV personality Edu Manzano, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto and Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia. From reports, all have thumbed down the Palace offer, although Malacañang is said to still be wooing Legarda, who is said to have already accepted the offer of Nacionalista Party president and standard bearer, Senator Villar.
AT the same time, administration lawmakers Thursday said it was inaccurate of taxpayer and court petitioner Henry Giron’s claiming that Arroyo would be abandoning her executive position once she files her certificate of candidacy (CoC) to join the congressional race.
Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Simeon Datumanong said Arroyofs CoC filing, if she ultimately decides to run for Congress, would not be tantamount to her abandonment of the presidency.
“President Arroyo, if she runs for another elective position, will not be deemed resigned from her position as president. That is the law,” said Datumanong, a former justice secretary.
Besides, Datumanong said Article 7 Section 4 of the Constitution provides that the President shall have a six-year term “which shall begin at noon on the 30th day of June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter.
“Hence, the President’s term will end on June 30, 2010. She cannot be compelled to resign even if she files her CoC to run for a congressional seat in the May 2010 polls,” said Datumanong.
Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan said the law allows the President to stay in her present position even if she decides to file her CoC to run for Congress.
“To say that PGMA will be abandoning her post and her mandate to the people once she files her CoC is totally wrong and distorted. The law is clear on this,” Domogan, a vice chairman of the House committee on justice, said.
Domogan explained that in the past, if an incumbent ran for another position, he is considered resigned under Section 67 of the Omnibus Election Code. However, since Sec. 67 was repealed by Section 14 of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act which was enacted on Feb. 12, 2001,, the President, like others who would run for other positions, does not need to resign nor is required to resign according to Domogan.
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, however, opposed the reported plan of Arroyo to remain in any elected position beyond June 2010, adding that there is still the legal question hounding her purported intention to seek other elective post.
“The avoidance of prosecution is the reason behind Arroyo’s plan to run for Congress or any other position,” said Colmenares.
Lakas- Kampi-CMD bared that the administration party is confident that it can present a complete presidential slate headed by Teodoro when the party holds its first national convention on Nov. 19 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
“It will be a quality presidential lineup,” said Roquero, admitting that up to yesterday, the party has yet to choose Teodoro’s running mate.
But while Rey Roquero, secretart general, refuses to name the party’s vice presidential bet, a source within the party said Lakas-Kampi and Teodoro himself are “deeply considering” Senator Revilla to be the vice presidential bet, after former Optical Media Board Chairman Manzano and Gov. Santos-Recto “showed signs” that they were not interested in the post.
“Secretary Teodoro needs a popular and winnable running mate,h the sources said.
Manzano, a former Makati City vice mayor, is believed to be seeking a senatorial seat while Santos-Recto is gunning for reelection, the sources said.
Roquero said the convention, which is expected to be attended by some 4,000 delegates from all over the country, will finally decide the party’s vice presidential bet, along with a “quality lineup” of 12 senators.
But Roquero admitted the party itself could not complete a senatorial roster, “10 at most,” a reason he said, the party will be getting Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Defensor Santiago as “guest candidates.”
They have also been mentioned as among the proposed senatorial candidates of ousted President Joseph Estrada.
Roquero said the party is considering to choose its senatorial bets from what he described as “winnable” like Manzano, Tourism Secretary Durano, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, former Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto, Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Tito Sotto, Local Waterworks Utilities Administration Chairman Prospero Pichay Jr., broadcaster Rey Langit, Federation of Philippine Industries Jesus Arranza and Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, Tesda Director Augusto Syjuco, Enrile and Santiago.
Source: http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091106hed1.html
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