This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 30, September 4-10, 2005
Arroyo Not Yet Off The Hook If
the impeachment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is “killed” in the House
this week, it won’t mean that the president herself is already off the hook. Her
impeachment will likely be pursued – this time by a Transition Council that will
be formed after her possible removal by people power.
By Bobby Tuazon If the impeachment of
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is “killed” in the House this week, it won’t
mean that the president herself is already off the hook. Her impeachment will
likely be pursued – this time by a Transition Council that will be formed after
her possible removal by people power. Leaders belonging to the
Gloria Step Down Movement (GSM) – a broad network of individuals and groups
united by the objective of removing Macapagal-Arroyo through street protests –
made sure on Sept. 3 that the president as well as other high public officials
involved in constitutional violations and other high crimes would be
prosecuted and tried. GSM leaders, led by Bayan
Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo, president of the Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan – New Patriotic Alliance), revealed such plan at the
national launching of GSM and peoples’ assembly in Quezon City. The common perception among
various leaders and groups that gathered for the assembly was that the arena for
the removal of Macapagal-Arroyo had shifted from Congress back to the parliament
of the streets leading to a third people power. The assembly was held the
day after former President Corazon Aquino and Susan Roces, widow of presidential
aspirant Fernando Poe, Jr. – widely believed to have won the last presidential
race – led anti-Arroyo forces in a prayer assembly at the La Salle Greenhills in
Mandaluyong City. The blueprint for the
Transition Council together with a people’s agenda were also formally unveiled
in the same assembly even as the nation awaited the final stretch of the
impeachment process set to take place Sept. 5. The “Transition Council” –
seen to take over the reins of government temporarily upon the president’s
removal - is slated to become a major project of various militant people’s
organizations. Last
ditch On the eve of Monday’s
House session, pro-impeachment legislators were reportedly in a last-ditch
attempt to complete the 79 signatures needed to bring the impeachment of
Macapagal-Arroyo to the Senate. Pro-Arroyo lawmakers on the other hand are
confident the move would be shot down conclusively even as many of them have
been accused of succumbing to alleged bribery by Malacañang (the presidential
office) to win their vote. As explained by a number of
speakers in the GSM assembly, the proposed council will take shape from a people
power that will remove Macapagal-Arroyo from the presidency - hopefully before
the end of this year. The president is facing impeachment charges for culpable
violation of the constitution, bribery, graft and corruption and betrayal of
public trust. But the council, described
as “extra-constitutional,” is also premised on the scenario of a
non-constitutional succession preventing Vice President Noli de Castro, who is
widely believed to have also committed electoral fraud and also for being inept,
from succeeding Macapagal-Arroyo. Bayan chair Dr. Carol
Pagaduan-Araullo clarified that, unlike in the 1986 Edsa I and 2001 Edsa Dos,
the ouster of Macapagal-Arroyo will be followed by a concrete people’s agenda to
be initiated by the Transition Council. Edsa I ended the Marcos dictatorship
while Edsa Dos led the ouster of President Joseph E. Estrada. It was learned, however,
that various groups from the opposition camp, moderate forces and social
democrats who would eventually join a broad alliance that would be forged on the
common aim of removing Macapagal-Arroyo have separate blueprints of their own.
Previously, their proposals have included constitutional succession, snap
elections and a revolutionary council. Under GSM’s program, the
Transition Council will be led by representatives of the various forces that
worked for the ouster of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, especially the
representatives of the toiling masses and other democratic forces and including
those from women, the Moro, indigenous minorities and Church leaders. It will
eventually include representatives of the political opposition as well as
retired progressive military officials. People’s
assembly Araullo explained that even
before the removal of the president, GSM groups and allies will hold a national
people’s assembly to elect members of the council. Both the council and people’s
assembly are foreseen to last for six months up to one year, she also said. By its formation, the
council will investigate and prosecute Macapagal-Arroyo and other high public
officials who are party to the betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft and
corruption and other high crimes. It will also initiate electoral reforms and
pave the way for the holding of credible elections. Included in the people’s
agenda for the transition are: the scrapping of the expanded VAT, debt
cancellation and repudiation; junking of the Mining Act, Oil Deregulation Law
and EPIRA; and resuming peace talks between government on the one hand and the
NDFP and MILF on the other. Proposals about the council
and the people’s agenda have surfaced over the last three months following
revelations about Macapagal-Arroyo’s direct hand in the electoral fraud
attending the 2004 presidential elections even as Congress was also
investigating allegations of jueteng (illegal numbers game) payoffs
involving her and family. If it materializes, the
Transition Council would be a historical landmark for guaranteeing the people’s
democratic representation in governance. Leaders at the GSM assembly
however are realistic enough to admit that pushing the council would be an
uphill battle. Just the same, it was also said, it can be the first step toward
the long-term quest for the people’s democratic power. Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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Transition Council to prosecute and try GMA
Bulatlat