Like Reagan, Like Mandela

“In my personal opinion, it is ministerial for the Comelec to accept the certificate of candidacy without pre-judging the citizenship and qualification." - Commissioner Rene Sarmiento

Seems like there's no stopping former president Joseph Estrada from filing his candidacy if in case he finally decides to run for president again on May 2010.

But that's just the easy part for the ousted president, as Comelec Commisioner Sarmiento said that it is the constitutional right of every person to submit their candidacy for any government office, adding that it is up to the Supreme Court to judge the qualification of any aspirants.

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There were, however, varying views from varying people who are in government offices and those who are close to Erap.

Those who are against his new-found aspiration for presidency are stating that he can no longer run due to a provision in the contitution and that all former presidents including the incumbent one, GMA, should not be allowed run for the same seat.

Those who are in favor of Erap's candidacy are saying that he is eligible for office given the tenure he has served which is two and a half-years, just one and a half-year short of the 4-year tenure wherein a former president is banned to run again.

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Ambassador Ernesto Maceda, who was always supportive of the former president and the Estrada family stated that Erap may be the most mature and emotionally stable candidate even comparing him to Ronald Reagan and Nelson Mandela who became president even beyond their 70's and 80's saying that his political career gives him the edge over other candidates.

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Looking at the current situation, it seems that both Erap and GMA are in the dilemna on how they will bend the rule for them to be ablt to run for office either for president or any other posistion for that matter and it is quite obvious how carefully they are planning things as to how little they are giving away from their statements.

Source: The Manila Times Internet Edition