Ban sought vs convicts running for office

Senate Minority Leader Renato Cayetano said yesterday that there should be a law disqualifying from running for public office persons who have been convicted by lower courts of heinous crimes, election-related offenses and crimes involving moral turpitude.

Cayetano, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, noted that the present law bars from holding public office only those who have been convicted on final judgment

"The present law is the reason why persons like Congressman Romeo Jalosjos of Zamboanga del Norte could run for public office," he noted.

Jalosjos won a third term last May 14 despite being convicted by a regional court of rape and acts of lasciviousness. He was prevented by the courts from attending even a single session of the last Congress.

Cayetano said he has already drafted a bill imposing such a disqualification after receiving numerous petitions from various groups calling for the amendment of the present law.

"I have already given my commitment to author such an amendatory measure," he said.

Cayetano said that rape is a crime involving moral turpitude and all convicts should be barred from being a candidate for an elective post. He said that estafa, theft, robbery, kidnapping and similar crimes also involve moral turpitude.

"These persons should be disqualified because the crimes they have been convicted of put to a doubt their moral fitness and ethical standards," he explained.

He added that those found guilty of committing electoral offenses should not be given an opportunity to get another stab at an elected post.

Cayetano said that the election of a convicted person, even if that person may be brilliant, would actually deprive the constituency of the needed services.

"The disqualification will be lifted the moment the higher court has lifted or overturned the conviction but until then, the convict should not be allowed to run for public office," he stressed. – Efren Danao