Palace spokesperson wants strict requirements for presidential bets

Claiming the requirements listed in the 1987 Constitution are not enough, a Malacañang spokeswoman on Saturday pushed for added prerequisites for candidates running for president and other elective posts. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Charito Planas said prerequisites should include clearances from the police and National Bureau of Investigation, and even a certification of sound mental health. “Para sa akin, kung ikaw mag-a-apply sa trabaho janitor lang papasukin mo hihingan ka ng police clearance at NBI clearance. Ang papasok sa Philippine Military Academy (kailangan ng certification sa) mental condition. Sa atin para kumandidato may edad ka Filipino citizen ka nakakasulat ka nakakabasa ka pwede kumandidato (If you apply for a job even as a janitor, you are asked for police and NBI clearances. If you want to enter the Philippine Military Academy you have to get a certification that you are mentally sound. But right now all the Constitution requires of those running for president is that he or she is a Filipino citizen who can read and write)," she said on government-run dzRB radio. She said it is time candidates for elective posts, even those running for councilor, must show their police, NBI and health clearances. Under Article VII Section 2 of the Constitution, “No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election." “Bago [ang] election ito ang aking police clearance, NBI clearance, health clearance para malinaw. Gagawin mo presidente may diprensya pala. Siguro may plano ang bise presidente siya magte-takeover (Before the elections, a candidate must show his police clearance, NBI clearance and health clearance. We cannot have a mentally unsound president. Perhaps the vice presidential bet wants a mentally unsound president so he can take over)," she said. Planas also said candidates must be morally upright and not those known to be cheating on their spouses. “Kung asawa mo naloloko mo ang bayan mo di mo kaya maloko (If you cheat on your spouse, can you say you won’t cheat on your people)?" she said. — LBG, GMANews.TV