After the flurry of email forwards from both sides of the political fence settled down, nothing much has really changed. We’re still as hopelessly divided as ever.
Consistent with the surveys, only a few expressed outright support for GMA. It really boils down to a battle between those who espouse GMA’s ouster and those who say, “I don’t like GMA, but…” The latter would invariably conclude their piece with the exhortation, “Let’s move on!”
By that, they mean “leave GMA alone to focus on governance, and let her finish her term until 2010”. They, of course, assume that GMA will govern under the status quo. I doubt if any of them ever anticipated the reckless charge towards charter change.
Why the indecent haste in shifting to a parliamentary form of government?
GMA’s worst fear is to go down in history the same way Erap did – discredited and shamed. For it will besmear not only her own legacy, but that of her father as well. She will do anything and everything to finish her term up to 2010.
On June 26 of this year, the opposition is poised to file another impeachment complaint. With the 2007 election just around the corner, many Congressmen will be mindful of their reelection bid. And it becomes risky for some of them to be associated with GMA, given her consistently low trust ratings at the polls. The opposition might just get the numbers needed to send the impeachment complaint to the Senate.
Even if she survives this year, the 2007 elections will alter the present configuration of Congress. Going by the prevailing anti-GMA mood reflected in the surveys, it is not unlikely to see more opposition-leaning solons in the next Congress. And it becomes more likely that she will be impeached in 2008.
The palace-formulated ChaCha is designed to preemptively neutralize all such efforts to remove her from office. The target is to convene the existing Congress as the interim parliament when it opens its session sometime July. This will hinder, if not completely bar, any impeachment proceeding. And with automatic term extensions for the incumbents embedded in the transitory provisions, GMA is trying to preserve the composition of a subservient Congress until the end of her term in 2010.
When Speaker JoeDeV could not get the numbers to transform Congress into a Constituent Assembly, GMA had to resort to a little known provision of the constitution called “people’s initiative”, in spite of a Supreme Court ruling declaring there is no enabling law to exercise this right.
GMA’s choice of a metaphor for this initiative – a train, is ironically, quite appropriate. It reveals their true intentions – to railroad the process and to destroy everything that gets in its way, including institutions and democratic processes.
But I like the metaphor used by Akbayan better. They call it “People’s Initiative of Gloria” or PIG for short. For that is what it has become… “babuyan na talaga”.
If you have read this far, you’re probably one of the politically astute few who is keenly interested in current political affairs. But I’m also willing to bet that you have not read the proposed charter change, and appreciate it enough to endorse or reject it. And yet, GMA would like us to believe that an obscure advocacy group, without funding support, has sufficiently explained it and managed to convince 8 million people to endorse it in a span of two weeks, enough to make them sign a petition. And they even have the gall to proclaim that “the people have spoken!” What an insult to the intelligence of our people.
What shall we do, then? How do we move on?
The root cause of our present political crisis is the question of legitimacy of the GMA presidency. It is evident by now that the palace-sponsored charter change is part of an elaborate scheme to skirt the issue and window-dress the remaining term of GMA with a semblance of legitimacy. But it will not work.
The solution is to confront the issue squarely. Let GMA seek a fresh mandate from the people through snap elections, to settle once and for all the issue of legitimacy.
The trick is to engage all sectors to abide by the results of the election. GMA can show good faith by using the vast resources of her office to “influence” the revamp of the Comelec into a more credible body. (She might even be surprised at how much goodwill this will generate for her.) In exchange, the anti-GMA groups will commit to stop all protest actions if the people decide to give her a fresh mandate.
Some might argue that there are legal obstacles. But I think they are much easier to hurdle than the obstacles facing the chacha train today. And if GMA’s strategists will only look at this option objectively, they will discover this to be a far better means to resolve the crisis in GMA’s favor. She has the advantage of the incumbent. And if, as they claim, the opposition remains fragmented – they could probably never agree to rally behind a single candidate.
And to those who keep asking, “Who is your alternative?”… Well, the answer now lies in your hands. More importantly, this will put a closure to the legitimacy issue that all started with the Garci tape.
NO. Charter change is not the answer. The answer is SNAP elections.
If you want to end the current political crisis, I invite you to sign up in our online petition www.petitiononline.com/no2PIG. We may never reach 8 million petitioners but if there are enough decent Filipinos who will join this clamor, then maybe we can influence our leaders to make it happen.
Then and only then can we all truly say, “Let’s move on!”
14 comments:
"GMA’s worst fear is to go down in history the same way Erap did – discredited and shamed. For it will besmear not only her own legacy, but that of her father as well. She will do anything and everything to finish her term up to 2010."
Please do not leave out her mother, the only name that the PPA can think of now whenever they build a passenger terminal. Presently the PPA is handing out negotiated contracts to cargo handling operators, perhaps expecting that more facilities may be named after her and/or her mother.
I am Kevin Ray Chua, 15 years-old and I believe that Charter Change would be good to the country... But the problem is that, Mrs. Arroyo tries to influence the process. She wants to stay longer in power. People's Initiative is illegal despite its constitutional mandate for the fact that there's no enabling law... (Santiago vs. COMELEC)
President Arroyo should know that she is the solution to all the problems that she's facing today together with her compatriots.
If you would allow me, may I join your blogroll. I would be very happy if you link my blog, TWBPSK Kevin Ray's Corner Blog (http://emperorkevin.blogspot.com). I promise I would also link your blog.
GLORIA RESIGN NOW!!!
PA-THAKSIN NA!! NOW NA!!
MY GRIM FORECAST: Despite clear legal obstacles, Gloria and her rabid lapdogs will go on with the PIG initiative. The Comelec will entertain the petition and proceed with the plebiscite. With the pace the SC decides on a constitutional issue, events will simply overtake them and when they do decide on it, the same will be moot and academic because the plebiscite has taken place. Hate to say it.. but the SC and the opposition will simply be disregarded. If the people continue to be fence sitters in this crisis, this will all the more embolden the Administration to impose its will on us. I feel really disillusioned. Hearing Bunye and Defensor et al deceiving the unsuspecting masa almost on a daily basis makes my blood boil!
Re: Tet's post
As Max Soliven says, who in spite of being avid Gloria supporter likes to poke Gloria and (indirectly) DONA EVANGELINA MACAPAGAL by saying , "Like mother, like daughter", or "She's her mother's daughter".
What I caught my attention was that the "PPA is handling NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS".
Tet, I'm sure you are aware that "Negotiated contracts" have NEVER really been negotiated to the government's advantage, i.e., RP government but to the advantage of the contract "sponsor" in government, i.e., Gloria's "inaanak".
Just look at the MABEY&JOHNSON bridges
and a host of other so-called NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS.
Ach, you're so right, HB! These deals are big reasons for so many wanting to be in government.
Speaking of Gloria's mother, I remember my granmother saying that Eva M was never a charmer.
Artemio and Led, BnW has called for Noli's resignation since last year. If a bullet amendment to hold snap elections were to pass in the House, then we'd have a chance to start the cleansing.
Kevin, thank you for yor request. Will have to do a post on tonight's Black Friday Protest then visit your blog, ok? It's great to know that a young man such as yourself is aware of what is going on around us. Keep those eyes, ears, and your heart open. That way, you'll see clearly - most of the time. Go ahead and link to us, thanks!
SNAP ELECTION???? It won't happen. Not with Gloria. She won't bite the bait. She won't do a Thanksin, if that's what the post meant.
EXPOSE THE PIG! That's what we should do. KILL THE PIG! Have elections as scheduled on 2007.
We will just be wasting time and resources if we mount a campaign to pressure Gloria to call for snap election. Si Gloria pa!
Granting for the sake of argument that Gloria calls for a snap election and she looses her mandate? Is it automatic Noli or are we going to have another election to replace Gloria? What if she wins and there was again massive cheating? Or if Gloria looses and she claims she was cheated. Who will do the recount? PET? Who will initiate the snap election law? What if the COMELEC is not revamped? Nah. Things will just become more complicated. Let's just call for the pushing through of election in 2007.
Thank you, Ellen! The more folks we get to sign on, the better picture we'll get as to who really understands what the PIG juggernaut's all about.
Mike Defensor has learned all too well from his "Tita Glo". He grew up under her shadow as a neighbor in La Vista, and he is truly her nino bonito. So, lying and obfuscation come natural to him.
I agree that there should be a snap presidential election today in our country. Let's make a snap election that will allow Eddie Gill to become a provisionary president for 2 months. Eddie Gill as a provisionary president must act as a "neutral guarantor" of a fair and clean snap presidential election in our country. Mrs. Arroyo can run again as president in such election. Eddie Gill is well-versed in the Bible and should allow the transparency of such a snap presidential election. Eddi Gill as a provisionary president in a period of snap presidential election in our country would be a milestone for Philippine democracy. Mrs. Arroyo should now voluntarily resign from her illegal presidency. Bro. Eddie Villanueva should urge all of the Christian archbishops (including the Catholic archbishops) to unify a common stand that will peacefully and legally urge Mrs. Arroyo to resign from her illegal presidency and give way to a snap presidential election. Thanks.
Points well made, caffeinatedpinoy. BnW's been pushing for snap, or special, elections, since last year. We were laughed at, but now so many are beginning to see it as viable. It really is the constitutional way, if we can get that bullet amendment passed in the House, or use people power, an extra constitutional but not unconstitutional means. Since the latter is a hard sell these days, persuading our Reps to pass the amendment may be the way to go. Am glad that the momentum's building again, but it must be kept up.
The question of viable alternatives to Gloria has come up in our meetings and we have floated names, and we're still in the midst of making choices - plural, because there are quite a few good people. I remember that a couple of years before Marcos called the snap elections, many of us were doing the same thing, and Cory didn't come up as a choice till shortly before. Having said that, I don't mean that we should wait that long if we finaly get our chance at snap elections. Am sure we all have a fairly good idea of who you'd vote for. The main problem, as seen before, is whether or not that person will really deliver the goods. This is why we're hesitating at throwng named into the basket. We're still searching, studying.
I can only speak for myself. My choices are eclectic, some familiar, others not, but I like these guys because even as politicos, they strike me as sincere and knowledgable, and most of all, they love their country. My list is far from final. We should really keep looking, in familiar and unfamiliar places. I like - Neric Acosta, Serge Osmena, Jesse Robredo, Jun Magsaysay, Butch Abad.
The Thompson quote is apropos - for us in BnW, it really isn't just a matter of winning that's paramount, it's partly making things right, and mostly keeping at trying to make things right over here, or we're all f*cked. Gloria and her lackeys have learned how to keep us at bay for now. We already know what lessons post-EDSA failure has taught us, so let's use them to our advantage. It's infuriating when people complain then do nothing to right the wrongs.
HB:
Check my site at http://tinyurl.com/fez3u, where I have some real names of GMA and the FG's "croony capitalists" getting juicey negotiated contracts from the PPA.
Nice point there about the need to rally behind credible leadership AND to present an alternative platform of governance and reform agenda.
Exactly! Snap election is not the answer.
Present first a credible leadership w/ alternative platform and reform agenda, then count us in. Unfortunately, this BnW group is in such a hurry that kicking GMA now has become the top agenda. In calling for her immediate ouster, it creates suspicion on the sincerity of the group.
to caffenaitedpinoy:
that is my real issue with your group, why the urgency? her time will come. she will not be president forever.
You say they need to be stopped NOW before they wreck and corrupt this nation further. I say change has to come from the bottom otherwise nothing will change. At this point, there is no one, no one, who could really inspire and unite us as a people. NO ONE. Granting for the sake of discussion that we, you, are able to oust GMA, whoever replaces her will again be dragged down by whatever interests that will not benefit from the change. Yes, there may be a three month honeymoon stage. But after that, we will go back to where we started before. Various forces will again pull that new leaderhsip down.
Yes a clean and credible snap election can be a good first step solution. Who will make it clean? Who will make it credible? What is the point of calling for a snap election if we will not have any guarantee that it will be clean and credible. And I really doubt it if Gloria will ever do a Marcos. She will never call for a snap election. Itaga mo yan sa bato.
So what do we do? WE PAY IT FORWARD.
to caffenaitedpinoy:
i sincerely believe that there are righteous persons out there who can replace the incumbent. there are. but the problem is, they will not win if an election is held today or a year from now. it will still be trapos who will reign the political landscape.
let us continue raising our voices against lying, cheating, corruption. we must never let our guard down and vigilance is very, very important in our survival as a nation.
i am simply being realistic. raise your voices as loud as you can but GMA will not resign. calling for her resignation is futile. she will not do it.
then take into consideration that in spite of the 65% who believe that she cheated, they are not marching out in the streets. that works in GMA's favor. but not for long.
since you are not with BnW, i am now directing this statement to the group. re think your strategy. i believe in your sincerity. however, with what you do and with what you demand, your group will not go anywhere.
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