Charter Change a Diversionary Tactic, Arroyo Foes Say

In her July 25 address, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo put forward the proposal for Charter change through a constituent assembly as a solution to the present political crisis. But her opponents, who have been calling variously for her ouster, resignation or impeachment, are not buying this proposal. As far as they are concerned, the fight goes on.

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat

In her State of the Nation Address (SoNA) this year, beleaguered President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went as far as admitting that the country is presently in a political crisis.

Macapagal-Arroyo, who was catapulted to power through a popular uprising in 2001 and proclaimed winner in the 2004 elections, had been under fire early on for what cause-oriented groups describe as her government’s imposition of “anti-national and anti-people” policies. Her government has also been assailed on issues of corruption and allegations of fraud in the 2004 election which surfaced last year were renewed.

The various political forces opposed to the Macapagal-Arroyo regime have in the past weeks gravitated toward calls for her ouster, resignation, or impeachment. Among those who have called for Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation are former political allies like Senate President Franklin Drilon and former President Corazon Aquino, as well as 10 cabinet officials who announced their resignation at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila – thus earning the moniker “Hyatt 10.” Meanwhile, the latest survey by Pulse Asia shows four-fifths of the respondents wanting the president out of office.

Charter change

In her July 25 address, Macapagal-Arroyo put forward the proposal for Charter change through constituent assembly as a solution to the present political crisis. Former President Fidel Ramos had made a similar proposal weeks earlier.

“Over the years,” she said, “our political system has degenerated to the extent that it is difficult for anyone to make any headway yet keep his hands clean. To be sure, the system is still capable of achieving great reforms. But, by and large, our political system has betrayed its promise to each new generation of Filipinos, not a few of whom are voting with their feet, going abroad and leaving that system behind.”

She proposes a shift to a parliamentary form of government from the present presidential form. This way, she said, legislation will be faster and laws can be “made more responsive to the people.”

But her opponents are not buying this.

In an interview with Bulatlat over the weekend, Renato Reyes, Jr., secretary-general of the multisectoral Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) described Charter change or “cha-cha” as “malabong-malabong solusyon” (a very unlikely solution) to the political crisis.

Rolando Cucio, deputy director-general of the Bangon Pilipinas (Arise Philippines) National Renewal Movement which backed the 2004 presidential bid of evangelist Eddie Villanueva, expressed a similar view in a separate phone interview. “The problem is she (Macapagal-Arroyo),” Cucio told Bulatlat.

“The fraud that she committed cannot be attributed to the existing form of government,” Reyes said.

“Macapagal-Arroyo’s proposal for a charter change is a diversionary tactic,” Reyes continued. “It is meant to divert the people’s attention from the ouster campaign as well as the impeachment complaint.”

A July 28 statement by the Hyatt 10 expressed a similar view. “It seems that she has decided instead to stymie all efforts in uncovering the truth by embracing the proposed Charter change to distract her accusers and divert the nation's energies toward the untimely debates on cha-cha,” the statement read.

The “Hyatt 10” are former secretaries Cesar Purisima of finance, Emilia Boncodin of budget, Juan Santos of trade, Florencio Abad of education, Corazon Soliman of social welfare, Rene Villa of land reform; and former Internal Revenue Commissioner Guillermo Parayno, former Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, former presidential peace adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles and former National Anti-Poverty Commissioner Imelda Nicolas.

Three more cabinet secretaries or advisers followed suit: Communications Director Silvestre Afable and Vicky Garchitorena and Corazon Guidote.

Fight goes on

For Reyes and Cucio, the fight goes on. From the way things are, the same is true of Macapagal-Arroyo’s other opponents.

Asked whether the country should expect a series of anti-Charter change protests similar to those that were staged during the Ramos and Estrada administrations, Reyes said that the main protest would still be concentrated on the ouster campaign.

Cucio expressed a similar view. “The fight deals with how to compel Macapagal-Arroyo and her government to step down,” he said.

At the lower House, the impeachment complaint against Macapagal-Arroyo has reportedly gathered 41 signatures as of July 29, or eight more than the original 33 it had secured last July 25, when the President delivered her fifth SoNA. It is expected to gather 10 more signatures within the week, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero told reporters.

Under the present Constitution, an impeachment complaint needs to gather signatures from one-third of the total House membership to pass without going through committee and plenary deliberations. The impeachment complaint thus needs 38 more signatures to make it to the Senate without committee and plenary deliberations.

Meanwhile, six party-list representatives – Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casiño, and Joel Virador of Bayan Muna (People First); Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis (Toiling Masses), and Liza Maza of Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) – have initiated a resolution opposing Charter change. Thirty-two representatives have signed the resolution as of July 28.

“Such a measure would necessarily take up much of the 13^th Congress’ time, resources and energy – things that could be better used to address more pressing national concerns such as poverty, high unemployment, the ballooning foreign debt, and escalating armed conflict in the country, aside of course from the president’s impeachment,” the resolution read. Bulatlat

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