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." [See: Arroyo bid for House seat slammed] Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño called Mrs. Arroyo a "megalomaniac, a person who is obsessed with [her] own power, a person who has delusions about [her] own power and importance." "This latest political stunt by Ms Arroyo is absolutely linked to her desperate attempt to attain immunity and the prolongation of the culture of impunity and violence in the country," said Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano in a statement. Three weeks ago, Mrs. Arroyo's half-sister former Pampanga vice governor Cielo Macapagal-Salgado appealed to her to give other candidates a chance to run for the same post. [See: Half-sis asks Arroyo to give way in 2010] "Nakasiyam na taon na siya, di ba? You have reached the highest post na binigay sa iyo ng mamamayan. Binigyan ka na ng pagkakataon, bigyan mo naman ng pagkakataon 'yung iba (She has been there for nine years, right? You have reached the highest post given to you by the people. You have been given the chance, now you must give chance to others)," Salgado said in an interview with GMA News. Macapagal-Salgado said she has been eyeing Pampanga's 2nd district congressional post for some time but had to give way to her younger brother Arturo, who in turn had to give way to Mrs. Arroyo's Mikey who is the incumbent representative of the district. Salgado and her brother Arturo are children of former president Diosdado Macapagal by his first wife Purita de la Rosa, who died during World War II. She was the sister of Macapagal's close friend, the movie star Rogelio de la Rosa. No impact on Lakas campaign In Manila, former Defense chief and ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said that the candidacy of President Arroyo won't affect his national campaign. Teodoro made the statement after filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president early Tuesday at the Comelec national headquarters in Intramuros. “Siya ay kandidato para sa kongreso, kami focused sa national campaign, hindi ito makakaapekto sa campaign sa buong bansa (She is a candidate for congress, we are focused on the national campaign, this will not affect our campaign nationwide)," Teodoro said. Teodoro filed his COC with his vice presidential bet actor-turned-politician Edu Manzano, and his senatorial bets broadcaster Rey Langit and Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico. Also running under the administration ticket are Senators Ramon “Bong" Revilla, Jr. and Manuel “Lito" Lapid. Manzano echoed the former secretary’s statement in saying that Arroyo’s candidacy for a House seat will just be focused in Pampanga and should not have any implications on their nationwide campaign. “I think she has her own campaign to worry about and we have our own campaign to worry of. We don't want to micromanage our campaign, we want to look at the big picture," he told reporters. But Teodoro said he expects Mrs. Arroyo to help the party in their campaign in the province. “Kung siya ang administration candidate, natural lamang iyon, makakatulong din ang Pangulo sa aking kampanya sa Pampanga (If she is an administration candidate, that is just natural, the President will be able to help our campaign in Pampanga)," he said. - Sophia Dedace with Kimberly Jane Tan and Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV