Screengrab from Noynoy Aquino fanpage
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Despite being prohibited by the Philippines Constitution, some听netizens听are calling for the re-election of President听Benigno听Aquino III.
Reminding the public of the constitutional ban on re-election of presidents,听Malaca帽ang听on Sunday said it had no hand in the said campaign.
鈥淯nang-una听po听ay听malinaw听ang听sinasabi听sa听ating听Konstitusyon听na听ang听bawat听halal听na听Pangulo听ay听mayroon听lamang听iisang听anim听na听taon听na听termino. Kaya听kahit听na听ano听man听po听ang听sabihin听nila,听ang听Saligang听Batas听po听natin听ang听iiral听hinggil听diyan,鈥� Communication Secretary听Herminio听Coloma Jr. said over the radio.
(First of all, the constitution clearly states that a president only has one six-year term. The constitution will always prevail.)
He said Filipinos should respect the Philippine Constitution.
鈥淲ala听po听kaming听kinalaman听sa听pagpapahayag听na听ganyan. 鈥榊an听po听ay spontaneous at natural听na听pagpapahayag听ng听saloobin,鈥� he added.
(We had nothing to do with such claims. That is just a spontaneous and natural expression of their feelings.)
On Aquino鈥檚 Facebook Page, which has 4 million followers, supporters have been posting messages and photos bearing the words 鈥� One More Term鈥� and 鈥淩e-Elect听Pnoy听for 2016.鈥�
Coloma, however, said that such calls were not surprising because of the nature of social media.
鈥淲ala听naman听pong听kumokontrol听niyan. Kaya听sa听kabila听ng听mga听pahayag听na听鈥檡an,听ang听ipapaalala听lang听po听natin听sa听kanila听ay 鈥榶ung听probisyon听ng听Saligang听Batas听hinggil听sa听iisang听termino听lang听na听anim听na听taon, at听doon听naman听po听ang听puno听at听dulo听ng听lahat听ng听usapin听hinggil听diyan,鈥� he said.
(No one has control over social media. So despite such calls, we would just have to remind the public of the constitutional provision that a president only has one term consisting of six years, and that is where that discussion should end.)
Aquino has lately been receiving flak for various issues, especially the Disbursement Acceleration Program. But while his performance ratings have been on a decline, Aquino鈥檚 followers have also started drumming up support for the beleaguered president.
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