COMELEC CHIEF WARNED VS ALLOWING ERAP TO FILE CANDIDACY
MANILA, OCTOBER 29, 2009 (STAR) Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Jose Melo was warned yesterday that he could face impeachment for violating the Constitution if he allows former President Joseph Estrada to file his certificate of candidacy for next year’s presidential elections.Meanwhile, the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino welcomed yesterday the Comelec decision dismissing lawyer Oliver Lozano’s petition to disqualify Estrada from running for the presidency next year.
Lawyer Ralph Calinisan, PMP spokesman, said Estrada is more than qualified to be president of the Philippines again.
“We are optimistic that all similar attempts to disqualify (former) President Estrada and to disenfranchise the electorate would meet the same fate,” he said.
In rejecting Lozano’s petition, the Comelec said there is nothing to oppose since no one has yet filed a certificate of candidacy.
Lozano’s petition was rejected outright since it was done prematurely, Melo said.
Lozano has sought Estrada’s disqualification based on constitutional grounds.
Lozano said the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code ban the president from running for re-election.
“Any person can file a disqualification case even before a certificate of candidacy is filed if the issue raised is constitutional prohibition,” he said.
“The Constitution is very specific that the President is not eligible to run again and if chairman Melo will allow Estrada to file his candidacy it would be an impeachable offense of culpable violation of the Constitution.”
Melo laughed off yesterday Lozano’s threat of an impeachment complaint against him.
“He can do whatever pleases him,” he said.
Lozano said he will also ask the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate whether Melo is favoring Estrada.
“Then it will be the basis of an impeachment complaint I will file before the House of Representatives,” he said.
Lozano said since there is no jurisprudence on the case it would be wise for Melo to let Estrada bring the issue before the Supreme Court.
The issue on whether Estrada is qualified to run for president again would trigger unrest between pro- and anti-Estrada forces, he added.
Followers of Estrada are already threatening to take to the streets if he will be disqualified from the presidential race, Lozano said.
Erap ready vs other aspirants
Estrada is not threatened that many candidates are seeking the presidency next year.
Speaking over radio station dzBB, Estrada said he welcomes all contenders in the 2010 presidential race.
“The more, the merrier,” he said.
“All of us are entitled to dream to serve the people. There is nothing wrong with that.”
Meanwhile, Estrada said he has three more days to complete his movie with comedienne Ai-Ai de las Alas for showing in cinemas nationwide on Nov. 11.
Set example on jueteng, bishops told
Former ambassador Ernesto Maceda advised Catholic bishops yesterday to lead the campaign against receiving “jueteng money” to set an example to government officials.
Maceda, United Opposition spokesman, was reacting to Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros’ challenge to the opposition to name Church officials who are receiving or have received money from gambling lords.
“What we asked the bishops to do was to instruct parish priests not (to) accept donations from gambling lords in their parishes,” he said.
Maceda said the illegal numbers game is operating openly in Oliveros’s tuft in Bulacan.
“The good Bishop Oliveros and his parish priests should campaign against it and expose the mayors and chiefs of police allowing its continuous operations,” he said.
Maceda said in many provinces, jueteng lords are big donors to Church projects, and that their names are printed on church walls.
“If the Catholic Church feels strongly about jueteng, then they should campaign against it in their diocese,” he said.
Estrada said all presidents tried but failed to eradicate jueteng.
The better policy is to legalize it and raise needed revenues for social services and give jobs to poor, unemployed Filipinos, he added.
The late Jaime Cardinal Sin admitted receiving donations from gambling money, including the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Estrada said. – Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Sheila Crisostomo
Comelec dismisses petition vs Erap By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) Updated October 28, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) rejected yesterday the petition of lawyer Oliver Lozano seeking the disqualification of former President Joseph Estrada from the presidential elections in 2010.
“There is nothing to oppose since no one has filed a certificate of candidacy,” Comelec chairman Jose Melo said in an interview.
Lozano had asked the Comelec to disqualify Estrada from the presidential race, citing the Constitutional provision on the one-term limit for presidents.
Estrada had earlier announced his plan to run for president with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as his running mate.
Melo had likened Lozano’s filing of disqualification against Estrada to a lover who had been rejected even before he professed his love for a woman.
He added that the petition was rejected “outright” since it was done prematurely.
Lozano admitted in the petition that he is also planning to seek the presidency.
He also bragged of having impeached Estrada, questioning the use of the sequestered multi-billion gold and dollar deposits of the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos.
Lozano accused Melo of lawyering for Estrada when he outrightly dismissed his petition for disqualification.
“Instead of defending the former president chairman Melo must ask Erap to answer my petition and schedule a hearing to resolve the issue,” he said.
Lozano insisted that his petition is not premature because it intends to prevent the former President from filing his certificate of candidacy.
He said under the election law, anybody can file a petition for disqualification against any person seeking elective post even before the certificate of candidacy is filed with the Comelec.
Lozano said the Comelec must act on his petition and rule if the former president is eligible to run for re-election in the coming election.
Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is also a lawyer, told a news briefing her that Lozano’s move could be premature as Estrada has yet to file his certificate of candidacy (COC).
“What if he (Estrada) doesn’t file at all? So his petition will be rendered moot and academic. My unsolicited advice is he should have waited for Estrada to file his COC then he can question his candidacy,” Bello said.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, however, said he would prefer that Estrada finds out for himself whether the voters think he is qualified to run the country.
“I would rather not be technical about the candidacy of former President Estrada. I would rather adhere to the principle of the voice of the people is the supreme law,” Remonde said.
President Arroyo granted Estrada a conditional pardon in October 2007 that stated he is no longer eligible to seek public office.
The People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) vowed to hold massive protest actions in case Estrada is disqualified.
Ronald Lumbao, PMAP national chairman, made the threat in reaction to the move of Lozano to disqualify Estrada.
“Mendiola will be flooded with protests once President Estrada is disqualified. We clearly see the manipulating hand of Malacañang in this obvious attempt by the devious lackeys of Gloria Arroyo to once again cheat the masses of our people by serving notice this early to the GMA boys in Comelec and Supreme Court to start the moro-moro and eventually rule on President Estrada’s disqualification,” Lumbao said.
Lumbao said the PMAP would no longer allow a repeat of the massive cheating that transpired during the 2004 presidential election.
“The masses of our people, particularly the poor, pin their hopes in the candidacy of Erap and Binay for deliverance from the bondage of poverty and hunger. Any attempt therefore to dash this hope by thwarting through sheer legal manipulation the candidacy of the poor will be met by throngs of protest by the poor masses in Mendiola and the gates of Malacanang,” Lumbao said. With Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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