By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2009 Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO, Illinois (JGLi) – Former President Joseph "Erap" E. Estrada is running for President next year “to continue the presidency” interrupted “from me by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her elite forces.”

In an email to this reporter Friday (Nov. 20, Manila time), Mr. Estrada thanked this reporter for “commending me and for criticizing me once in a while (“Salamat sa mga pagpuri at ganun din mga negatibong kuro-kuro mo sa akin pa-minsan minsan). Wala akong hangad na tumakbo bilang bise presidente.” (I have no plan to run for vice president),” referring to the column written by this reporter, suggesting that he should run for vice president because, like Mrs. Arroyo, he is barred to run for “re-election” by the Philippine Constitution.

Editor’s Note: To read the said column of Mr. Lariosa, please click on this link,
Erap vs. GMA, One-on-One for Veep in 2010?

Erap to Continue Public Service

“Ang gusto ko lang ipagpatuloy ko ang serbisyo sa bayan na biglang inagaw ni GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) at ng mga elite forces at kakampi niya.” (I only want to continue my public service that was suddenly taken away from me by GMA, her elite forces and her cohorts”), according to the actor-turned-politician, who is raising funds in the upcoming expensive campaign through his comeback comedy, "Ang Tanging Pamilya (A Marry Go Round)," introducing Manny Pacquiao’s mother, Aling “Pacmom” Dionisia, and co-starring Ai-Ai de las Alas.

“Naibigay ko kay Ronnie (Fernando M. Estrada) ang maikling librong sinulat ni Justice Magdangal B. Elma tungkol sa pagsusulit na ginawa ng aking mga legal luminaries. (I gave a copy of a brief book to Ronnie (Estrada) written by Justice Magdangal B. Elma that summarized the arguments by some of our legal luminaries that allow him to run in the presidential elections next year),” the 72-year-old Estrada added.

He said, “There is no plan ‘B’ for me,” when queried by Ronnie Estrada, if he is running for any other elective position just in case the Supreme Court rejects his presidential bid. “Nakahanda kami kung aabot ito sa korte suprema.” (We are ready to make our case if this reaches the Supreme Court.)”

Mr. Estrada did not mention when he is going to file his certificate of candidacy, which starts Friday (Nov. 20) and ends on Nov. 30.

It will be popular veteran Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who will be his running mate for vice president, under Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) party.

A ccording to Court of Appeals Justice Magdangal B. Elma, under section 4, Art. VII of the Constitution, “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.”

Limited-ban View
 

According Justice Elma, under the “limited ban” view, “the presidential reelection ban” in the Constitution “applies only to a sitting or incumbent President” like, Mrs. Arroyo, “to prevent said President from using his/her vast powers to ensure his/her re-election.”

Justice Elma added, Mr. Estrada served two years and less-than seven months before he was ousted from office, making him eligible to run for President again because the Constitution bans the President from running for re-election if he had served for four years at any time.

Mr. Estrada was elected President in 1998 with a wide margin of votes separating him from the other challengers, and was sworn into the presidency on June 30, 1998. However, allegations of corruption spawned an impeachment trial in the Senate, and in 2001 Estrada was ousted from power after the trial was aborted. In 2007, he was found guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua, but was later granted a pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Another case that could possibly derail his presidential comeback bid is his link to the double murder of his family friend and publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Dacer’s driver, Emmanuel Corbito,” an accusation Mr. Estrada vehemently denies.

Editor's Note: To read the continuing coverage by Mr. Lariosa of the Dacer-Corbito murders, please just type in "Dacer" in this website's Search Box. 

Mr. Estrada will continue with his pro-poor agenda that he started in 1998, when campaign season opens next month. He only wants to alleviate the masses from abject poverty, which endeared him to the millions of Filipino voters.  # # #

Writer’s Note: Ronnie M. Estrada contributed from Manila parts of this article. lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net

© opyright 2009 The Journal Group Link International. The contents provided in the JGLi may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of the Journal Group Link International.

(Editor’s Note: Watch out for the upcoming outlet-oriented, subscription-based website of Journal Group Link International that guarantees originally sourced stories, features, photos, audios and videos and multi-media contents.)