Our rich history will give away how Filipinos are such freedom-loving folks. Years of oppression under three different colonies has toughened us up. Any tyrant that would like to rise up above us will probably think twice before doing so. The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution is a perfect example of how far we can go to fight for our freedom. This historic event has shown the world that if we are united, not even the country’s leader can stand a chance.
As a democratic country, our right for suffrage can be considered as the most powerful right any Filipino can have. With this, all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law and given that they are 18 years of age and have resided in the Philippines for at least a year, can freely choose and select leaders who we think can direct our country into a path that would be most beneficial for us. But more than anything, our right for suffrage is an obligation to our country.
February 9 has marked the official date for campaigning in the 2016 Philippine election. And from this point on, every candidate will be full steam ahead in pursuit of the approval of the public. In a perfect world where everyone is just and fair, those who seek for public office would simply file in their certificate of candidacy and will just campaign. But that is not the world we live in so expect more dirt slinging, discrediting, propagandas, crazy antics, and controversies to bloom not just on our televisions but also, and more especially, on social media sites.
Under constitutional grounds, a person running for public office can be disqualified. For example, the constitution clearly states term limits for certain positions: the president can only hold one 6-year term, the vice president can only hold 2 terms, while senators, house representatives, and other local government officials can run and hold the same position for up to 3 terms. Ombudsman and his deputies shall also not be qualified to run for any office in the election immediately succeeding their cessation from office.
There are also other laws that can be grounds for disqualification for a person running for public office. Any crime involving Moral Turpitude like issuance of a bouncing check or the violation of the Anti-Fencing Law can be a ground for disqualification. The Supreme Court said that a conviction under such crime necessarily attaches deceit to the act, “which leaves a mark of lack of good moral character of the person.
It has been made clear by all the controversies going on that running for a public office is no walk in the park. A pair of solid lungs and machinery that campaigns non-stop can give you a fighting chance. But it will take a team of intelligent attorneys that are adept in the Philippine constitution to be able to file an election disqualification case and defend against it. And if a candidate wants to get out of this electoral war, one must be prepared and hope for the worst to not happen.
As a democratic country, our right for suffrage can be considered as the most powerful right any Filipino can have. With this, all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law and given that they are 18 years of age and have resided in the Philippines for at least a year, can freely choose and select leaders who we think can direct our country into a path that would be most beneficial for us. But more than anything, our right for suffrage is an obligation to our country.
February 9 has marked the official date for campaigning in the 2016 Philippine election. And from this point on, every candidate will be full steam ahead in pursuit of the approval of the public. In a perfect world where everyone is just and fair, those who seek for public office would simply file in their certificate of candidacy and will just campaign. But that is not the world we live in so expect more dirt slinging, discrediting, propagandas, crazy antics, and controversies to bloom not just on our televisions but also, and more especially, on social media sites.
Under constitutional grounds, a person running for public office can be disqualified. For example, the constitution clearly states term limits for certain positions: the president can only hold one 6-year term, the vice president can only hold 2 terms, while senators, house representatives, and other local government officials can run and hold the same position for up to 3 terms. Ombudsman and his deputies shall also not be qualified to run for any office in the election immediately succeeding their cessation from office.
There are also other laws that can be grounds for disqualification for a person running for public office. Any crime involving Moral Turpitude like issuance of a bouncing check or the violation of the Anti-Fencing Law can be a ground for disqualification. The Supreme Court said that a conviction under such crime necessarily attaches deceit to the act, “which leaves a mark of lack of good moral character of the person.
It has been made clear by all the controversies going on that running for a public office is no walk in the park. A pair of solid lungs and machinery that campaigns non-stop can give you a fighting chance. But it will take a team of intelligent attorneys that are adept in the Philippine constitution to be able to file an election disqualification case and defend against it. And if a candidate wants to get out of this electoral war, one must be prepared and hope for the worst to not happen.