IT WAS A visibly incensed Sen. Manny Pacquiao who came out last week to denounce a resolution signed by his own party-mates at the PDP-Laban. The resolution implores President Rodrigo Duterte to run for vice president in 2022.
The resolution did not name the President’s running mate. Pundits were, however, quick to read the implication, i.e., that the President might be running with long-time aide Sen. Lawrence “Bong” Go.
Media quoted the President as saying in Dumaguete: “While we were disembarking from the plane, Sen. Bong Go told me ‘Sir, I have a favor to ask.’ I asked what and he said: ‘It somehow leaves a bad taste in the mouth and it’s still far away, but I want you to tell them.’”
“I will tell you the truth,” the President said. “He wants me to tell you that he wants to be president.”
Go immediately denied the President’s declaration saying that “the President was just joking. Please count me out from talks about politics in 2022.”
Was this nonetheless a clear endorsement from the President? Or is he merely testing the waters, trying to assess whether Go was acceptable to politicians in his coalition?
Pacquiao is the acting president of PDP-Laban. When he took over the presidency of the party the die was also cast for a presidential run. He appears to have ineluctably taken that direction, and does not want to be ambushed on the choice of his running mate.
The President’s declaration also indicates that Paqcuiao may not be his first choice for possible endorsement. The President’s popularity has continued despite the current pandemic. An endorsement from him would certainly prop up a candidate’s overall chances.
But is this clamor for the President to slide down to vice president a serious outcry from his party-mates? Is Pacquiao correct in shooting it down for the time being?
It will mark the first time in the history of the current Constitution if it ever happens. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada both ran for and copped lower ranking positions after their presidency, but there has never been a president campaigning to be vice president during his incumbency.
If the President does decide to run and wins as vice president, it places him in the line of succession to the next president. This means that he will succeed the next president if the latter dies, is permanently disabled, resigns, or is removed from office.
Is that succession a circumvention of the provision in the Constitution that says the President is not eligible for any reelection?
There was an opportunity for the Supreme Court to interpret the prohibition when Joseph Estrada’s certificate of candidacy was opposed by some people when he decided to run for the presidency in 2010. The key phrase is “any reelection” but the Supreme Court refused to rule on the objection on account of mootness – Estrada lost anyway to Noynoy Aquino.
Is it thus constitutional for a sitting president to run for vice president and in the process place himself in the line of presidential succession?
Between Go and Pacquiao, who may be persuaded to resign the presidency?
The scenario presented by Pacquiao’s rogue party-mates may be farfetched. The President is advanced in age and may not indulge their sentiments.
But there is no saying that Pacquiao himself is not aghast at the possibility because, as the President himself says, “it somehow leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”/PN
