This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 25, July 31-August 6, 2005
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 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 13th 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 © 2004 Bulatlat
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