Reporter

PRESIDENT Arroyo’s lawyers had differing views on whether former President Aquino is qualified to run for reelection in 2010. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal believes she can, Chief Presidential Counsel Sergio Apostol thinks she cannot.

Apostol said that Aquino cannot make another bid for the presidency as she had already been “elected” in 1986.

“She was elected, she ran for the presidency. At that time, according to her camp, she was cheated, then Marcos was ousted so she assumed office. She was an elected president so she can’t run for another term,” he said.

Macalintal, President Arroyo’s election lawyer, believes that Aquino can still run for president. “If there is any Philippine president who can still run, it is none other than former President Cory Aquino. Only Cory Aquino can seek reelection for Philippine president because under the 1987 Constitution, Cory Aquino was never elected president,” Macalintal said.

The 1987 Charter states that a president could only serve a single six-year term.

The only exception is for a Chief Executive who had served less than four years of the unfinished term of a predecessor, as in the case of President Arroyo, who ran for the presidency in 2004 after taking over from President Estrada in 2001. Apostol said that it is for this reason that both Presidents Ramos and Estrada cannot seek reelection in 2010.

“Erap and FVR are disqualified. They are not eligible to run due to constitutional provisions. They can’t run for reelection,” Apostol said.

Can Cory run for president?

PRESIDENT Arroyo’s lawyers had differing views on whether former President Aquino is qualified to run for reelection in 2010. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal believes she can, Chief Presidential Counsel Sergio Apostol thinks she cannot.

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday that the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Zamboanga City has dismissed the petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus filed by former congressman Romeo Jalosjos of Zamboanga del Norte for lack of merit.

THE newly designated Air Force commander said he would continue the implementation of the Philippine Defense Reform (PDR) program that includes the acquisition of six night-capable attack helicopters and six utility helicopters using the P5 billion allotted by President Arroyo for such purpose during the year.

SOME transport groups are expected to withdraw their fare increase petitions filed with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (ltfrb) before the end of the month.

DAVAO CITY—After blaming “hawks” in the government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) warned that the standoff in the peace talks is being exploited by its own hard-liners.

SENATE President Manuel Villar on Thursday pressed for the immediate imposition of sanctions against embassy and consular officials and personnel who refuse assistance or display incompetence in extending help to Filipino migrant workers in distress.

“RUNNING priest” Robert Reyes on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to issue a writ of amparo to prevent airport and immigration authorities from further harassing him and to enjoin them from implementing the hold-departure order (HDO) issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on December 1 against him and several others who took part in the so-called Manila Peninsula standoff.