Philippine President will run for congress. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday dismissed a petition from a lawmaker to disqualify the congressional candidacy of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The president is running in the May elections to succeed her eldest son as representative of a district in her home province.

The Comelec’s Second Division rejected the disqualification case filed by Rep. Risa Hontiveros of the Akbayan party, saying the president is not violating the equal protection clause in the Constitution by seeking a seat in the House of Representatives.

“If it’s the intention of the Constitutional Commission to ban the President from running for any future elective position, it could have so worded the pertinent constitutional provision in an unequivocal manner,” the Comelec said, referring to the body that drafted the 1987 Constitution.

“In other words, it could have stated, ”The president shall not be eligible for any reelection to the same position and for election to any other elective position.’ Unfortunately, however, the said applicable constitutional provision was not so worded,” the Comelec added.

Hontiveros had cited in her petition filed last month Article VII Section 4 of the Constitution, which states in part, “The President shall not be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.”

The congresswoman also cited Article III Section 1, which says, “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

Hontiveros had argued, “As current President, she has all the powers and resources as well as access to it that will definitely prejudice the chances of any opposing candidate in any electoral competition against her.”

The two-term lawmaker, who is also Liberal Party candidate for the Senate, plans to challenge the Comelec’s decision before the Supreme Court.

Her petition is the second and last disqualification case against the president’s congressional bid. The Comelec previously rejected a similar petition from lawyer Elly Pamatong, who was declared a nuisance presidential candidate by the Comelec this month and in 2004.