It is now joined. The battle on Charter change to enable President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stay in power–whether as president or prime minister–starts now.
At stake here is the fate of the 2010 elections–whether or not it will push through at all. If it pushes through, whether or not it will be for positions under the present presidential system or will it be for positions under a parliamentary system. Or, will it be preceded or replaced by a plebiscite.
Also on the line–and more importantly–is the eventual fate of the GMA presidency. Will it be a lameduck presidency, be cut-off prematurely, or be transformed into martial rule or a nominally democratic rule?
Ranged on one side are the formidable forces of Malacañang located in the three major government organs of Congress, Supreme Court and Commission on Elections, the pro-GMA ruling coalition, and supporters in government, military and police, and civil society . On the other side are virtually all the other political forces and at least 64% (according to a recent SWS survey)of the people who said NO to cha-cha. Mobilizations on both sides currently is ongoing.
The timeframe allowed for the cha-cha struggle has dwindled to only a few months until the first quarter of next year. It’s a now-or-never proposition for the GMA regime.
it is our duty to be vigilant and guard the constitution against any move to amend it for the benefit of an elite few.
the cha-cha express is already gaining ground and if everything will boil down to a battle of numbers whether it be in congress or the supreme court, then the end is grim.
sadly, it seems the only venue where anti-impeachment side will gain an advantage is on the streets.
By: ginoray on November 28, 2008
at 7:31 pm
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
By: The EQualizer on November 28, 2008
at 8:18 pm
It is obvious that the House intends to pursue Charter Change by converting itself to a Con Ass.
Will the people wake up from their deep slumber and oppose the railroading of charter-change?
By: THE EQUALIZER on November 29, 2008
at 1:29 pm
Palace apologists continue to chant the mantra that none of the moves to amend the Charter dealt with the extension of the President beyond 2010.
Then as now, nobody believed them. When GMA said in 2004 she wouldn’t run, she did otherwise.
Which only goes to show that what they say, what they do, and what they say they do, are three entirely different things.
By: Arvin Antonio V. Ortiz on November 29, 2008
at 2:21 pm