Yesterday (21 October), Joseph “Erap” Estrada finally declared/proclaimed his intention to run for the presidency. Well, of course, he has always hinted this possibility — he even has his Arthro commercial before the most recent one. Anyone who is surprised to hear this proclamation is probably living inside a cave for years already.
But the question is:
Is he eligible to run for President? Or any other public office for that matter?
There are only three concerns that keep on lingering in my head with regard to this proclamation.
First: The constitutional prohibition against reelection. Now, I am not a lawyer and definitely not a constitutionalist. But I had the chance to read that part of the Constitution which says the president is banned for any reelection. (Don’t know if that is the exact construction of words but I think it is basically like that.) Erap has been elected once already (AND IT’S A MISTAKE, FOR GOD’S SAKE!), and any reelection is already unconstitutional. Now, some Erap supporters are saying the intent of that provision is not applicable to Erap. Wow! Now, I am not about to argue about whether it is applicable to Erap or not because I am not an expert. I’d leave that to the experts.
Second: The executive clemency provided by GMA after Erap was convicted of Plunder. Somewhere there is stated: Erap won’r run or pursue any public post or office ever again. Or something like that. I thought this is actually the ultimate safeguard for the deposed president to run again, but to my surprise, two lawyers with oppposing views in the constitutionality of Erap’s bid for presidency actually both agree that such condition in the clemency is not THAT binding at all. Darn! They were saying that the dispositive clause where Erap was given back his political and civil rights is the one that will take more weight over the condition that he should not run for any public office! (We’re screwed, people.) What else is left to bar the ex-President from running again? (Arthritis?)
And finally: The actual fear that Erap will run again. This concern haunts me whenever the Erap for President (again) discussion surfaces. Why are we even having this discussion? Why are we afraid that he is actually legally allowed to run? It is because we are afraid he might win. That possibility is the most fearful of all. No, not the actual winning, the possibility he wins. Why? Because we have already thrown him out of office. He was already convicted of a crime. We have already decided once that he cannot lead this country. The possibility that Erap might win this 2010 is like eating your own vomit… your own sh#t.
Erap being allowed to run again will make us Filipinos the ultimate laughing-stock in the whole world. And Erap winning this election will be the end of the Filipino nation.
—
A related reading: Absolute versus conditional pardon
This is what Erap should be doing instead:
##
I have a lawyer friend who brought to court the case of the word ‘ONLY’ . It was when the insurance company of the unfortunate Superferry9 refused to try the case in Manila because of the the word ONLY in their insurance policy. Whether you are from mars or pluto all cases should be tried ONLY in Cebu.
Hearing Maceda talking about the controversy of the implication of the word THE PRESIDENT. as stipulated in the Consti.. Erap still can run for president because he was not able to complete the term of THE PRESIDENT … Whatever that is, … he was already given the chance by the pwersa ng masa ayon sa kanya to become the president ……. SINAYANG NYA ANG PAGKAKATAONG YUN ….
I am shocked that he is even thinking of running for office again. I really think he should just let his political ambitions go. And yes, it is scary if ever he wins. He was given a chance back then, but he threw it away. He is NOT fit to be a leader and he does NOT exemplify any sort of good leadership qualities at all.
he is a nuisance candidate. i watched the live telecast over at gma7. noticed anything? he was pretty drunk. he was slurring, face on the grounds not at the camera. it was one of the funniest moments i had watching news on tv. with a seemingly irate mel ( who could’nt hide her dislike) over erap. i was laughing all throughout the interview i remember her asking. “sir bakit tatakbo pa kayo eh diba sabi nyo eh matindi ang hirap at dinanas nyo sa palasyo?”… “eh sir diba anim na taon kayo na na detain?” diba po ay na convict kayo ng plunder?” so on and so forth..
erap’s is one selfish political figure he thinks that the philippine politics is all about his story. he has not even united the opposition. it all goes to show that the opposition even are not united in terms of principles but united because of their open criticism to the administration. what now? the opposition is fragmented. that is not leadership.
erap had developed this messianic complex in him.. despite the fact that the court convicted him of his wrongdoings ,he is still thinks that he is still a factor of change in the country ..hes a delusional ,hoggish , moronic form of life ..thats the best words that expresses an attribute for this guy.
Eh ano ba ang pinuputok ng butsimo. Di kung ayawmo di wag mo. Ano ba ang nangyari ng mapaalis si Erap ng sinasabi nyong Himala ng Diyos kay Gloria. Umunlad ba ang bayan? Di ba’t lalung nagkaluko-loko. May basbas pa raw ng namatay na si John Pope. Sana man lang ay may naipakitang gandang resulta ang pag-papatalsik nila kay Erap. Mas lalung nagka-windang-windang ang bansa. Kung meron mang nanagana sa ngayon ay iyong mga Eletista na sumusoporta kay Noynoy sa pagka-presidente. Siguro Eletista ka kung hindi naman pa class na ala rin naman pala. Dalawang kandidato lang naman ang tunay na oposisyon. Si Erap at si Chiz kundi rin lang itutuloy ni Chiz Escudero kay Erap na ko.
Mahirap i-unite ang oposisyon una dahil na rin sa individual political ambition. Meron din dyang kunyari oposisyon lang. At meron ding uto-uto na nakisakay sa popularidad, at sinusulong ng evil society. Mga maka-Diyos daw. Pinoy kaylan man ay hindi nagka-isa. Kanya kanyang gamitan. Aminin natin.
Mas mahirap maka-kumbinsi kung puro tayo pag-mumura. Ibigay mo ang iyong palagay at komento ng nasa ayos. Mas lalabas na tayo ang walang pinag-aralan kahit pa sabihin mong galing ka sa isang exclusive school. Kung bastos at walang galang ang iyong sinasabi. Sabi nga pag-tatae ng bunganga. Simulan natin ang pag-galang sa sarili at igagalang ka ng ibang tao. Mas gugustuhin kong makipag-usap sa taong hindi man nakapag-aral kung ang sinasabi ay may saysay at kabuluhan kesa sa isang taong nag-tatae ang bunganga.
for me it is better 4 us 2 stop giving bad comments against anyone, don’t be 2 harsh dat wudnt giv a help,…since we r only a human being, wat we must do now is 2 b intelligent enough & rsponcble enough in every decisions dat we r doing…
if we really wanted a dev’t in dis country, we must do things in accordance of wat is right…..
HINDI PWEDE WALA CCTV CAMERA SA LOOB.
NG MALL KASI KUNG WAAL.
HINDI MALALAMAN .
KUNG SINO.
ANG NAG SHOPLIFTER.
AT SAKA NG SHOPIFTING SA LOOB NG MALL.
FROM BACOOR CAVITE 28 TALABA, BACOOR CAVITE,
LANDLINE NUMBER I S 417-0131.
LANDLINE NUMBER.
046-417-0131
Erap is a good political leader! Nung umupo si Gloria sa position, lalung nagkarip hirap ang bansa. Ang mga mayayaman, lalung yumaman at ang mahihirap, lalung naghihirap. Si Gloria ay isang Komunista!! Anak ng Demonyo. Look at what happened to Maguindanao Massacre case? Hanggang ngayon, The offender is still innocent sabi ng batas. Si Gloria ang taga-suporta nun! Basi sa pag-aaral ng Law School, at basi sa nakikita ng sambayanan, sya mismo ang master mind ng lahat ng yon. Ayaw man umamin ng salarin, hayag nmn s mata ng karamihan!
HEllo
Tama!