GMA formalizes bid for Congress

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo filed on Tuesday her certificate of candidacy (CoC) for congresswoman of the second district of Pampanga despite criticisms on propriety of her seeking another elective post.
The president personally filed her COC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in San Fernando City, Pampanga at around 10:30 a.m.

This was contrary to earlier reports that a representative would be filing Mrs. Arroyo’s COC on her behalf.

The president was joined by First Gentleman Jose Miguel T. Arroyo and her son Juan Miguel M. Arroyo, who currently occupies the post she is running for.

The younger Mr. Arroyo still has a term as congressman but decided to give way to his mother.

The filing of COC was preceded by a mass at the San Agustin Parish Church in Lubao town, after which she addressed a crowd made up of residents from 159 barangays of the second district and local officials to formally announce her bid.

Mrs. Arroyo’s announcement of her intention to run for congresswoman in her hometown of Pampanga has elicited criticisms regarding the propriety of her plan, with some saying the president will only use it to remain in power while others were concerned that the resources of the presidency will only be used for her campaign.

Malacanang came to her defense, with Press Secretary Cerge M. Remonde saying the criticisms have always been around ever since Mrs. Arroyo took the helm.

“Criticisms come from the people who have always been criticizing her regardless of what she does so there really is nothing new,” Mr. Remonde told reporters after Mrs. Arroyo addressed her constituents.

“Our president is young and healthy and it was a good decision for her to run for Congress,” he added.

As to accusations that it was greedy for the president to seek for an elective post after holding the highest position in the country, he said Mrs. Arroyo’s move is “an act of humility” for deciding to run for a lower post.

He also slammed past presidents --without alluding to anyone specific -- saying: “What are the other presidents who stepped down from their posts doing? They did not run [for elective posts] but they have always been behind destabilization attempts.”

Mr. Remonde also said that claims that Mrs. Arroyo is running for Congress to eventually become House Speaker and later on assume the position of prime minister if the charter change pushes through is speculative.

He also reiterated that Mrs. Arroyo will spend less time campaigning as her duty as president remains on top of her priorities.

Mrs. Arroyo steps down from office on June 30 to give way for the new president who will be elected on May 10.

A former vice-president, Mrs. Arroyo took over the presidency in 2001 after the ouster of Joseph E. Estrada in a popular revolt. She ran for a full term in 2004, taking back a promise not to extend her stay in Malacañang, but was saddled with allegations that she cheated.