Arroyo execs: No snap elections in Constitution

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Tuesday downplayed reports that the House of Representatives has endorsed for debate two bills calling for a snap elections. In a statement posted on the Office of the Press Secretary website, deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez said that the constitution would allow the holding of a snap election as proposed by Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson. “Snap decisions like snap elections sometimes come up with snap stakes," Golez said as he stressed that the President as well as her cabinet men have said that according to the constitution, the president will only stay until 2010, no extension. The statement was made amid reports that the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has unanimously endorsed for floor debate Monday a consolidated version of two bills filed by Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson calling for a snap presidential election. The bills were meant to resolve questions on the mandate of a sitting President in time of crisis. Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo echoed Golez, saying nowhere in the Constitution could one find a provision allowing the conduct of a snap election. “We know quite well that the Constitution does not allow the conduct of any snap election. So, we are not quite sure that the bill will be approved by the House of Representatives," Fajardo said. Fajardo added that the there are more urgent matters that need immediate solution than the passage of a snap election law. “We have the problem on rising prices of oil and commodities. I think we need to focus on these issues rather than on snap election. We’d rather leave the issue with Congress. Let’s see what happens next. Anyway, it still has to go through plenary discussions," Fajardo said. - GMANews.TV