President DU30 for VP?

It is now a year before the May 2022 presidential and local elections, and some political and other party organizations are already eying for their possible standard bearers. Some leaders of the PDP-LABAN, which is the recognized political party of the incumbent president, have proposed that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte should run for Vice-President, and for him to choose his own running mate, possibly his own daughter Sara. This move of some leaders of the party has given rise to some dissensions within, more particularly from Senator Manny Pacquio who is the party chairman. He believes that his colleagues in the party has by-passed him, as the proposal was made without prior consultation.

Be that as it may, President DU30 has remained non-committal on the proposal, although his party spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque was reported to have said that everything remains fluid, the next elections being far off yet. Some political pundits have expressed the view that there is really nothing wrong with President DU30 running for VP as there is no law which prohibits the same. They claim however, that the issue would come to fore if and when the elected President dies, as the Vice-President would have to assume the Presidency. Should this happen, the Constitutional mandate which bars two-term presidency would come into play. To us, this is a legal question which only the Supreme Court could settle. But as a consequence, could this also result in the extension of the term of the present administration?

On another note, this column wishes to express its commendation on the recent unanimous decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the Impeachment filed against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marivic Leonem by some members of Congress. . This proves once again the independence of the judiciary to the credit of our judicial system in the country.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“THE BIGGEST DISEASE IS CORRUPTION. THE VACCINE IS TRANSPARENCY.”

BONO

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“WHOEVER WALKS IN INTEGRITY WALKS SECURELY.”

PROVERBS 10;9