Arroyo formalizes House bid in Pampanga

Despite a barrage of criticisms hurled against her, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday formalized her intent to seek a congressional seat for the second district of Pampanga, her home province.

Mrs. Arroyo filed her certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in San Fernando City. She was accompanied by her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
Earlier, she heard Mass at the St. Augustine Parish Church in Lubao town. She also delivered a speech before her constituents, who applauded and cheered her.

Her frequent visits to the province – she went to Pampanga at least 50 times this year – had fueled assumptions that she will run for congresswoman of Pampanga’s second district after her term expires in 2010. But Malacañang had repeatedly parried questions on whether Mrs. Arroyo was gunning for a House seat.

On Tuesday, the President ended months of speculation and said she could not completely step down from “public service."

No legal impediment

A report by GMA News' Michael Fajatin quoted constitutional expert Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, as saying there is nothing in the law barring Mrs. Arroyo from pursuing a congressional seat.

University of the Philippines (UP) law professor Harry Roque agreed with Bernas, saying "Ang sabi ng probisyon ng ating Saligang Batas ang ipinagbabawal ay reelection kung ikaw ay presidente. Ang ordinary meaning niyan, reelection sa posisyong presidente muli kapag ikaw ay nakaupo (Under the provision in our Constitution, only a sitting president is barred from seeking the same position again)."

"So sa tingin ko, gaya ng walang pagbabawal kay Erap (former president Joseph Estrada) para tumakbo muli bilang isang presidente, wala ring pagbabawal para kay Mrs. Arroyo na tumakbo pagka kongresista ng Pampanga (I think, there is nothing barring Mrs. Arroyo from running for congresswoman of Pampanga in the same way that Erap is not barred from running again for president)," Roque said, adding that Estrada's case is expected to go all the way to the Supreme Court.
Critics of Mrs. Arroyo acknowledge that while she is legally eligible to run for a lower office, her decision to run for Congress was motivated by "political survival."