Bulatlat - The Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine

This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 9, April 2-8, 2006

Petition to Junk Charter Change, Arroyo Revived

Members of organizations under the People's Movement Against Arroyo's Charter Change (People's March) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) have revived a signature drive opposing charter change and calling for Arroyo's immediate resignation.

By Emily Vital
Bulatlat

Call it hitting two birds with one stone.

In its petition, People's March cited five reasons why people should oppose charter change. The number one reason is: "Charter change is a ploy to perpetuate Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in power by setting aside serious questions about her legitimacy and legalizing her term until 2010 and perhaps beyond."

"We want to reiterate the demand of the majority: Arroyo's resignation," lawyer Nasser Marohomsalic, People’s March convenor, said. “Mrs. Arroyo has refused to listen to the people's real outcry."

People's March was formed on Feb. 16 this year. Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. led the formation of the broad alliance.

Other convenors include Prof. Roland Simbulan, Msgr. Ernesto Cruz (Parish Priest, San Miguel Pro-Cathedral Church), Fr. Joe Dizon (Gloria Step Down! Movement), Atty. Neri Colmenares (Counsel for the Defense of Civil Liberties or Codal), Dr. Carol P. Araullo (Bayan), and Former Labor USec. Amado Gat. Inciong.

Bishops Deogracias Iñiguez, Alberto Ramento, and Godofredo David also signed the petition.

In a statement, Marahomsalic said, "While Sigaw ng Bayan (The People’s Clamor) coalition uses deception and bribery to gather millions of signatures, ours will be a product of persuasion and education."

Sigaw ng Bayan, a coalition of sectoral organizations, vowed to gather five million votes for charter change. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a memorandum calling for barangay (village) assemblies March 18.

In an interview, a taxi driver who requested not to be named, related that his two grandsons were given 20 kilograms of rice each by teachers at an elementary school in Valenzuela. "Ang kapalit lang daw ay mga pangalan ng magulang nila. Hindi ko naman alam na gagamitin pala iyon para sa cha-cha" (In exchange they only had to give the names of their parents. I didn’t know these were going to be used for charter change), he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself endorsed the people's initiative. "The true power of the people is being felt with the signature campaign to change our form of government," said Arroyo in a speech at the World Bank-sponsored Philippines Development Forum in Tagaytay City.

Before such declaration, Arroyo's Cabinet and advisers denied any involvement in Sigaw ng Bayan's signature drive.

"Arroyo must not twist the meaning of people power, " said Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes, Jr. "She is fooling herself. Charter Change will not benefit the people but Arroyo and her imperialist master."

Reyes said charter change will undermine the national patrimony and sovereignty. Foreign entities, he said, will be granted 100 percent ownership of land, public utilities, mass media, advertising firms and educational institutions. "Arroyo desperately needs the US government's continuing support," he added.

Reyes clarified the signature campaign is not comparable to Sigaw ng Bayan's petition. "There is no point of competing with a signature drive that is dubious," he said. "What we want is to provide a venue for people to register their anti-Charter Change and anti-Arroyo sentiments. We will not seek authentication from a commission whose credibility has been tainted. The signatures that we have gathered are genuine." Bulatlat

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