Arroyo's reported House ambition ‘foolish’ - Enrile

MANILA, Philippines – Seeking a congressional seat in the 2010 polls would be a ‘foolish’ move for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, so advised Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Sunday. Enrile said prudence dictates that Mrs. Arroyo would have to relinquish her post so as to not gain any undue advantage should she push through with her alleged intent to run as Pampanga representative in the forthcoming elections. But by resigning, Enrile said, Mrs. Arroyo would fail to fulfill her "contract to the people to serve her full term" as President. “It would be foolish for her to run... To get that position, I think, by common sense, she must be resigned automatically. In filing her certificate of candidacy for a lower position, she would be endangering her position as President. If she does that, that is an abandonment of her presidency," Enrile told dzBB radio in an interview. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, however, believes otherwise. Macalintal, who had served as Mrs. Arroyo’s election lawyer, said the President does not need to resign should she seek public office because there is no legal prohibition to her possible congressional bid. In a text message to GMANews.TV, Macalintal said Section 14 of Republic Act No. 9006 had already repealed Section 67 of the Omnibus Election Code, which requires the resignation of elected officials running for another position. “Resignation applies only to appointive officials once they file their certificate of candidacy," Macalintal said. Malacañang, meanwhile, said it is not important whether or not Mrs. Arroyo is compelled by law to resign in seeking a congressional post because what is only relevant is that she had assured that the 2010 elections would push through. “It’s rather unproductive to be engaging and speculation about it at this time….If critics and the opposition are trying to anticipate of other political scenarios, they may do so at the risk of their own chances in the polls," said presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio in a text message to reporters. Critics of Mrs. Arroyo had claimed she is planning to run for Congress while her allies in the House of Representatives amend the Constitution for a parliamentary form of government. Under the parliamentary form of government, Mrs. Arroyo can thus run for prime minister and remain in power. President Arroyo has remained coy about her political plans after she bows out of office in 2010. - GMANews.TV