Friday, June 15, 2007 Aportadera: Options for a lameduck presidency By Attorney Billy Aportadera Rights and Duties
THE Filipino people have spoken. They elected eight senators from the Genuine Opposition, two independents, and two from President Arroyo's Team Unity. Except for dubious returns from bailiwicks of the administration, the message was loud and clear.
The rejection of the Arroyo administration was even more pronounced with the election of detained Oakwood mutiny leader Antonio Trillanes. He carried the Magdalo message and crusade against corruption in the civil bureaucracy and military hierarchy under the Arroyo administration.
While the Senate is firmly in the control of the opposition, the House of Representatives secures President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from impeachment until her term ends in 2010. Administration candidates, either from Lakas-CMD or Kampi, won majority of the congressional seats over opposition candidates.
Section 4, Article VII of the Philippine Constitution bars re-election of a president: "Section 4. The President and the Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter. 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."
In other words, President Arroyo will have to finish her presidency as a lame duck president.
Her options are limited. She can concentrate in implementing her economic programs until her term ends in 2010 hoping that the benefits she has projected from her economic programs would be favorably felt by the Filipino people. Or she can extend her hold to power through charter change, abolishing the Senate and establishing a parliamentary form of government with her as Prime Minister.
It should be remembered that in 2003, she vowed not to run in 2004. But she disavowed her vow and ran to win against a popular opposition candidate. Her victory in the polls was tainted with doubt by the revelation in the "Hello Garci Tapes” of her possible involvement and certain Comelec and Military Officials in the manipulation of the presidential election results.
Even before the 14th Congress can convene with the newly elected and reelected senators and congressmen, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been served due notice that the unresolved and unfinished congressional investigations involving graft and corruption in her presidency would be continued to their conclusions – P2B Fertilizer Fund Scam, Venerable Consultancy Deal, "Hello Garci" Tapes, Piatco-Naia Terminal 3 Contract and the PhilComsat Fund Scandal. Re-elected No. 3 Senator Panfilo M. Lacson vowed to pursue the pending investigations to their closures.
He is joined by Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon and newly elected Senator Antonio Trillanes. All three senators belong to the new aggrupation of the Cavalier Club in the Senate.
In addition to the unabated corruption, the President has to contend with the dismal human rights of her administration. The Philippines has regressed in its international standing on human rights. It has been named as one of the countries with serious human rights violations with the killing for journalists topping the lists.
Through her spokesman, Secretary Ignacio Bunye, President Arroyo intimated that she has paid her political debts and was opting to concentrate on her economic programs until her term ends in 2010. With her trust rating still at its lowest level, could the Filipino people find comfort on her announced option?
Attorney Abelardo "Billy" Aportadera Jr., former Commissioner on Human Rights and former Assistant Ombudsman, is a practicing lawyer and a member of Philconsa, E-mail address: apo_lawoffice@pldtdsl.net; Web address: www.billyaportadera.com.ph
