Erap airs confidence he won’t be disqualified

By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO
December 23, 2009, 2:39pm








Original Story: http://mb.com.ph/articles/235325/erap-airs-confidence-he-won-t-be-disqualified


Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will dismiss all the disqualification cases filed against him.

“I’m very optimistic that all these cases will be dismissed by the Comelec,” Estrada told reporters after the hearing of his disqualification case at the Comelec’s office in Intramuros, Manila last Tuesday.

The former president said he’s confident that the disqualification cases filed against him will be junked because they are baseless.

“It’s baseless… the ban is only for incumbent president, a president who served complete six years. I served only for two and a half years. Therefore, I’m qualified to run,” said Estrada.

Asked who would replace him in case he is disqualified to run for president in 2010, Estrada said he is not even entertaining such thoughts.

“I’m not thinking about that. I believe I’ll be qualified to run,” Estrada said.

It can be recalled that lawyers Evillo Pormento and Elly Pamatong and a certain Mary Lou Estrada filed a petition before the Comelec seeking to disqualify Estrada from the 2010 presidential race, saying it is unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, Atty. Romulo Macalintal also expressed optimism that the disqualification case against President Arroyo will also be junked by the Comelec.

“We are hoping that the Comelec will immediately resolve that. As a matter of fact, what we are expecting is that the Comelec will just dismiss the petition without further arguments because on the face of the petition itself it is dismissible,” he said.

“Ang ground lang naman niya is that the resident is not entitled to reelection. But remember the term reelection there refers to the same position of president and not of another position…Kung ang sinabi sa Saligang Batas na the president shall not be eligible for any election maaring magkaroon ng problema. Pero maliwanag ang Saligang Batas. So ang pagtakbo ng pangulo bilang kongresista e hindi ibig sabihin na siya ay running for re-election. It means she’s running for an election in a district in Pampanga,” added Macalintal.


Original Story: http://mb.com.ph/articles/235325/erap-airs-confidence-he-won-t-be-disqualified