The constitutional ban against the reelection of an incumbent President will stay if a federal system is adopted in the country.

This was clarified today by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) in the face of speculation that the establishment of a federal system will allow President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stay in power beyond 2010 either by running for reelection or by extending her term as a “holdover” or “transition” president.

“That will not happen because it is clear in my proposal that the term of the incumbent President will not be extended. Even my term as senator will be terminated in 2010,” Mr. Pimentel said.Senator Pimentel is the principal author of Joint Resolution 10 calling for the convening of Congress into a Constituent Assembly to initiate amendments to the 1987 Constitution and lay the ground for a federal system.

Article 19 of the proposed federal Constitution contained in the resolution provides: “Unless the incumbent President is removed from office, dies or resigns, the incumbent shall serve until 2010, the year her Constitutional term of office ends. She is however not qualified to run again under the Constitution.”

As proposed by Senator Pimentel, both the President and Vice President shall serve for a term of six years. They shall be voted as a team, which means that the vote for a presidential candidate shall automatically be counted as a vote for his vice-presidential running mate. # # #