Debate over Cha Cha Heating Up
As broad assembly vows
to oppose Cha cha
Calling current moves to amend the 1987 Constitution as “Malacañang’s
initiative,” a broad array of leaders from the opposition and people’s
organizations gathered once more to reiterate their resistance to Cha-Cha
through people’s initiative, as proposed by Sigaw ng Bayan.
BY EMILY VITAL
Bulatlat
Amid two-pronged
tactics to push forward the changing of the Constitution, a broad array of
leaders reiterated their resistance to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s charter
change.
In a leaders’
meeting, Sept. 13 at the Club Filipino, opposition congressmen and
senators, leaders of people’s organizations, churches and faiths, business
community and academe declared their “unequivocal and resolute” opposition
to Arroyo’s charter change.
Former President
Corazon Aquino, former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., Zenaida
Quezon-Avanceña, Bro Eddie Villanueva, Bro. Armin Luisto, FCS, former Sen.
Vicente Paterno attended the meeting.
Also present were
Sens. Franklin Drilon and Ramon Magsaysay Jr., and Reps. Benigno Aquino
III and Francis Escudero, Allan Peter Cayetano, Darlyn Antonino-Custodio,
as well as Party-list Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño.
Progressive groups
under the banner of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic
Alliance), leaders of the Oust Gloria Coalition, Black and White Movement,
Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses) also joined the assembly.
In a statement of
unity, they expressed their concern “about the rush toward charter change
through a people’s initiative and/or constituent assembly (ConAss) which
would reverse the country’s democratic principles, institutions and
processes gained after many years of struggle against the Marcos martial
law regime.
Guingona, in his
opening remarks, said that Arroyo’s cha-cha is being advanced at a wrong
time, manner and intent. Guingona said, “Nais lang nila ng cha-cha para
makalimutan ang mga kasalanan ng nakaraan gaya ng Hello Garci, fertilizer
scam, OWWA funds. Katotohanan muna!” (They are pushing for cha-cha to
cover up the sins of the past such as the Hello Garci tapes, fertilizer
scam, and dissipation of funds of the Overseas Workers Welfare Agency.)
Strongman rule
Paterno, who used to
be a member of the Constitutional Commission (ConCom), said that the
transitory provisions will lead to the “solidification of the
presidency.” The ConCom was created by Arroyo to draft recommendations
for cha-cha, which was subsequently submitted to the House Committee on
Constitutional Amendments.
Paterno related, “We
were working for reforms. In the last two days, dumating ang mga
panukala (proposals came), I think, galing sa Malakanyang na
binigkas niAtty. Lambino and Rowena Bengzon.” (It came from Malacañang
and was articulated by Atty. Lambino and Rowena Bengzon).
Lambino and Bengzon
were the leaders of the Sigaw ng Bayan (People’s Voice) pushing for the
people’s initiative. Paterno questioned Sigaw ng Bayan’s petition for a
plebiscite to decide the proposed amendments. Paterno said that the
question formulated by Sigaw ng Bayan in its proposed plebiscite cannot be
answered by a mere yes or no. The question, he said, does not even mention
the transitory provisions.
The Sigaw ng Bayan
calls for a unicameral parliament which will mean abolition of the Senate
and the lengthening of terms of the members of Parliament from three to
five years. Paterno said this will perpetuate the power of Arroyo and her
allies.
In the transitory
provisions, Paterno revealed, the President will have full executive
powers until 2010. “Article XVIII will mean increased powers of the
incumbent President.”
He further said that
it is not the members of Parliament who will choose the Prime Minister but
the President. The PM then, Paterno said, will perform duties as may be
delegated to him by the incumbent President. “The transition is contrary
to logic,” he said.
Further amendments to
the Constitution will also lengthen the terms of local government
officials, Paterno said. “This is why the Union of Local Authorities of
the Philippines (ULAP) is persistent in pushing for cha-cha,” he said.
Fake signatures
Former Rep. Lualhati
Antonino of the 1st district of South Cotabato said that the
Sigaw ng Bayan used money to gather signatures. “We talked to our
barangay captains. They told us that local officials of the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) gave them five pesos for each
signature,” she said.
Antonino said that
their district has 358,521 registered voters and that the 8, 676
signatures gathered by Sigaw ng Bayan were fake. Antonino said they only
got 2.42 percent of the total number of votes.
Comelec
Meanwhile, House
Minority Leader Francis Escudero found dubious the decision of the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the Sigaw ng Bayan’s petition.
Escudero said there
was not a single public hearing. The Comelec, Escudero said, prohibited
the filing of motion for reconsideration. “Si Lambino, humahalakhak
pang umakyat sa Korte Suprema. Nakakaduda ang mga kaganapan.” (Lambino
was even laughing when he went to the Supreme Court. These events arouse
suspicion.)
The Sigaw ng Bayan
filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court.
Petition to
intervene
In a related story,
Bayan filed a petition to invertvene in the Sigaw ng Bayan’s case before
the SC, Sept. 12.
Neri Colmenares,
counsel for the intervenors/oppositors, said that Sigaw ng Bayan did not
get the required number of votes for a people’s initiative. He also said
that the people’s initiative only allows revisions, not amendments, to the
Constitution.
Carol Araullo, Bayan
chairperson said, “It is clear that Malacañang is behind the people’s
initiative. It is not a genuine initiative of the people.” Bulatlat
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