STA. RITA, Pampanga – Pres. Arroyo is slated to leave for the US for a meeting with Pres. Obama, but not without paying yet another visit to this town in the second district where she is registered voter.
"There’s nothing wrong if she runs for Congress in the second district," Candaba Mayor Gerry Pelayo, spokesperson of the Pampanga Mayors’ League and the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) told Punto amid growing speculations on this, amid her unusually frequent visits to the district this year.
But Pelayo said not even her son Rep. Mikey Arroyo nor any member of the Cabinet seems to know whether the President will seek the congressional post. "She could seek the congressional post in the district which is represented in Congress by Mikey who is only on his second term."
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) confirmed to Punto that the President is expected in this town today, although details of her sortie were not yet immediately available. The President was here last April 30 to inaugurate a farm- to- market road and last May 22 to inspect the P5-million rehabilitation of the park at the town plaza.
Earlier, Rep. Arroyo said he was not aware of his mother’s political plans in the 2010 elections, saying he was busy preparing for reelections. Earlier reports, however, quoted him as saying he would give way to the President should she decide to seek the congressional post.
"I don’t think even Mikey nor any member of the Cabinet really knows whether the President will run for Congress," Pelayo said, noting that the question of term extension has already been dismissed by Mrs. Arroyo during her state-of-the-nation address the other day.
"Still, there’s nothing wrong if she runs in the second district to further help her constituents there. It’s not against the Constitution," Pelayo added.
Pelayo said that such issue does not warrant controversy. "There are reports that six soldiers who participated in the Oakwood mutiny are running for different posts, from mayor to senators in next year’s elections. Shouldn’t that trigger more concern and should make us ask whether they deserve to run or be elected?" he asked.
Arroyo will meet with Obama on July 30 at the White House. She will be the first Southeast Asian leader to visit the US since Obama took office. The two leaders will reportedly talk about how their governments can work together to fight terrorism and global warming.
