VIA Times – September 2014 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
By: Joe Mauricio
Before any President of the Philippines enters on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath…” do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President and will do to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Philippines.” In the last five years of his sworn duties to God and Country, President Aquino not only violated the laws of the country but also violated the laws of his faith. Now that his term of office is almost over, he is trying everything to stay in power by changing the consitutional provisions of his term of office. However, any move in this direction when term is almost over, it will always be viewed with strong suspicion of the President’s motive for him to stay in power. Any move of the President, whether in good faith or bad faith, will surely backfire, and the strategy for a Charter Change will surely fail.. The son of the country’s democratice icons (Philippine National HeroNinoy Aquino andformer Philippine President Cory Aquino), after tasting power now refuses to relinquish this power at the expense of the other branches of the government. In other words, to beequated with selfgratifying reasons–a desire to clip the powers of the other branches to increase his own. His father who died for the Filipinos who are “worth dying for” and his mother who served and died for the country she loves, and after all their sacrifices, here’s their son who’s killing the poor and the country. We can call this an Aquino DNA going awry, instead of keeping the legacy of the Aquino name. Let’s review and make it clear that the 1935 Constitution provided for a single six-year term for President without reelection. In 1940, however, the 1935 Constitution was amended and the terms of President and Vice- President were shortened to four years, but allowing one reelection. Since the that constitutional amendment, only President Manuel Quezon in 1941 and Ferdinand Marcos in 1969 were reelected. Presidents Sergio Osmena (1946), Elpidio Quirino (1953), Carlos Garcia (1961), and Diosdado Macapagal (1965), all failed in seeking a new term of office. However, in 1973, a new Constitution was promulgated and allowed the incumbent President Marcos to seek a new term. In 1981, Marcos again was elected president versus Alejo Santos, making him the only president of the country elected to a third term. Currently, under Article 7, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines states that “ the term of the president shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following day of the election and shall end at at noon of June next following day of the election and shall end of noon same date six years thereafter.” Simply speaking, the incumbent preisident shall not be eligible for any reelection, that 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. Quo Vadis, Mr. President Benigno Aquino, Jr.?
