IS PRESIDENT ARROYO ELIGIBLE TO RUN IN THE 2010 ELECTIONS IN ANY OF THE ELECTIVE POSITIONS?



Definitely yes, EXCEPT for the executive position. Nowhere in the 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits the incumbent president to run for vice-president, or congressman, or municipal mayor in the succeeding election. Article VII Sec. 4 says, "The President shall not be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time."


If President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo runs for a lower position, she is free to do so, just like every Filipino who satisfies the basic requirements set by the Constitution. In fact, there are speculations that she will be running as congresswoman in her own district in Pampanga. Others say that there is also a possibility that she would be the running mate of Sec. Gilberto Teodoro. Well, she has served the country before as the Vice-President under the administration of former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada.


I am particularly interested in a scenario where GMA throwing her lot for Congress. As you know, charter change is still alive today (as it was before), and if in any case she wins in the election, and the Lakas-Kampi-CMD dominates the 2010 elections, and the moves to change the Constitution become successful, she might be chosen by her party members as the PRIME MINISTER in the future. Let's watch the game and see what would happen in the next few years!

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