This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 20, June 26-July 2, 2005
Transition Council –
Answer to Crisis of Legitimacy
A well-known Catholic bishop,
party-list leader and others agree that a transition council should replace
President Macapagal-Arroyo, whose ouster is being sought by more and more
Filipinos.
By Art Allad-iw BAGUIO CITY - A Catholic
bishop believes that there is a breakdown in the government as manifested by the
present crisis in the presidency and government’s anti-people policies. A
party-list leader says on the other hand that a council should be established,
which would serve later as a transition government before the election of a new
set of leaders should Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) be ousted. In a forum this week at the
University of the Philippines in Baguio, Catholic Bishop Julio Labayen
encouraged participants to espouse politics that advances the rights and welfare
of the majority for a better society. The forum was well-attended by militant
groups, church people, and the academe. Labayen, a figure in the
anti-Marcos dictatorship struggle, said that Macapagal-Arroyo’s governance and
method of leadership is not pro-people, as shown by the expanded value added tax
and incessant oil price hikes. Labayen is a member of the
Makabansang Kilusang Ekonomya (MKE or patriotic economic movement) which was
part of the June 24 national day of mourning. The group also called for the
President to speak as to truth of the latest CD which exposes her alleged
conversation with Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to rig the Mindanao
elections in her favor. Representatives from
militant groups and the Political Science Division of the university, who were
invited as reactors, agreed with Labayen’s pronouncements and also voiced their
support for the ouster of the President. Chie Galvez of the
Tongtongan ti Umili (TTU or people’s dialogue) and the local chapter of the
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) said an ouster is
inevitable with all the controversies and problems haunting the present
administration. She said the only question is when this will take place.
Deeper
into poverty Geraldine Cacho of ORNUS (Organisasyon
dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili ti Siyudad or urban poor association) also supported
the call for the ouster of Arroyo, saying that Macapagal-Arroyo’s anti-people
policies that drove the urban poor deeper into poverty. “Kahit ilang ulit tayong
magpalit ng pangulo, huwag tayong magsasawa, hanggang sa maitayo natin ang
gobyernong para sa atin” (Even if we replace more presidents, we should be
patient until we build our own government), she said. Cacho reiterated that the
VAT which will be implemented in July will hit the poor most. She added that the
Community Mortgage Program (CMP), which is supposed to provide affordable
housing for the urban poor community, is very costly. Cacho also lamented that
government troops are bombarding the interior tri-boundary of Mt. Province,
Ilocos Sur and Benguet as part of Macapagal-Arroyo’s counter insurgency
campaign, where hundreds of women and children are caught in the crossfire. “Ginegyera kami ng
gobyerno, ginegyera kami ni Gloria” (Government has declared war against us,
Gloria has declared war against us), Cacho declared. Cacho also criticized the
Arroyo government for branding organizations critical of her administration,
including ORNUS, as “communist fronts.” Meanwhile, UP Political
Science Prof. Maileenita Penalba said that the crisis of the president is a
crisis of political legitimacy. “Mahirap mamalakad kung walang political
legitimacy,” she explained.
Presidential succession Should President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo be ousted, who would take he place? In the same forum, Manny
Loste, national vice-chairperson of party-list Bayan Muna said that the kind of
crisis the country has can not be handled by one person only. Loste said the proposal of
Bayan Muna and its allied organizations is a transition council that would be
composed of people, who care for the rights and welfare of fellow Filipinos.
Loste explained that the
said council will pave the way for an election of a new set of officials. “This
would be different from EDSA 2, where the vice president automatically replaced
the ousted president,” he said. He stressed that Vice
President Noli de Castro cannot replace Arroyo because even his election into
office is tainted with fraud. Loste also said that the
political crisis could be resolved if the economic and moral crisis is
addressed. Bishop Labayen agreed with
Bayan Muna’s proposal for a transition council, stressing that the transition
council should involve all Filipinos. With a report from Kim Quitasol /
Nordis / Posted by Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
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Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat