THE COUNTRY NEEDS RESPONSIBLE AND CREDIBLE LEADERS - ANGARA
In an action to encourage voters to select reliable public officials for the 2010 elections

With a barrage of announcements for running into public office in the 2010 elections, Senator Edgardo J. Angara today stressed that responsible, credible and accountable leaders is what the country presently needs.

"Aspiring for a government position does not only equate to earning the people's trust through announcements of what you've done and can do to alleviate the distressing problems that our country currently faces. It requires credibility and a positive declaration of planned actions once elected into office," emphasized Angara.

SB 904, an act which Angara pushed, served to secure the interests of the people by denying the candidates the benefit and privilege of reclaiming back a government position - regardless of the outcome of election- upon filing the certificate of candidacy. This is in response to the disproportionate treatment for those running for the two highest offices in the government.

Under the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines or Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, except for the positions of President and Vice-Presidents, an elective official running for a public office should be regarded resigned from office upon filing of certificate of candidacy. Worse, the passage of Republic Act No. 9006 or the Fair Elections Practices Act held that any public official can run for any other public office other than the one he is holding without the risk of losing the said office.

To correct the said policy and promote political adventurism and protect the public from nuisance candidates, Angara set forth this bill (SB 904) that will treat all candidates equally.

"Candidates holding elective office, whether national or local, running for public office other than the elective position which he is holding in a permanent capacity should be considered resigned from his office upon filing for candidacy," he emphasized.

He explained, "This kind of faulty public policy should be corrected at once by restoring back the old law. With this, officials can serve the people with utmost loyalty and not trifle with the mandate, which their constituents have entrusted to them."