April 29, 2006 · Posted in: Charter Change, In the News
Anti-Charter change groups
vow to stop ‘cha-cha train’
WHILE Malacañang has declared that the “die has been cast” in favor of amending the Constitution, various groups yesterday launched what could be considered as the “widest possible coalition” to stop the administration’s so-called “cha-cha train.”
Leaders from political, business, academic, religious, and nongovernmental groups gathered at Club Filipino in San Juan yesterday and launched STOP (Sa Tamang Oras at Paraan) Cha-Cha, “to ardently oppose the Charter change railroad” of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The movement called the efforts of the government to push for Charter change as “ill-timed, illegal, deceptive, and self-serving.”
Senate President Franklin Drilon, one of the key personalities who attended the assembly, said he was confident that the initiative will “stop the cha-cha train on its tracks,” as more groups are now joining the calls to block moves to amend the Constitution.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye yesterday criticized the opponents of Charter change, calling them “anti-reform.”
“On one side are the public that seek genuine changes to promote economic and social progress and on the other side are anti-reform groups that seek to preserve the political gridlock that has served the interests of a very few,” he said, ” The time for change is now, not in the future.”
But former President Corazon Aquino, who also joined the STOP Cha-Cha movement, said that while there is a need for reforms, this was not the time for Charter change.
“While I’m for amendments, not at this time because there are more serious problems that we have to address,” Aquino said.
The groups who attended the assembly likewise acknowledged that while Constitutional reforms are needed, amending the Charter at this time will effectively shelve issues of Arroyo’s legitimacy, the “Hello, Garci” controversy, and the fertilizer fund scam.
“We are opposed to the way government is pushing for Charter change,” they said, “It is a diversionary tactic.”
They also called the ongoing signature campaign on Charter change as “fraudulent.”
Former education secretary Butch Abad said during the assembly that efforts must be put into a “Bawi Pirma” movement, which will allow people who have already signed up for the people’s initiative to file an affidavit withdrawing their signatures.
The Sigaw ng Bayan Movement, the group spearheading the signature campaign, said it has already gathered 8.5 million signatures, more than the number required to launch a people’s initiative to amend the Constitution.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday reiterated their stand on the “people’s initiative” campaign, saying that the proposed changes in the initiative will seemingly benefit “mainly those who already hold positions of power and privilege in the current political system.”
Cagayan de Oro Archbishop and CBCP vice president Antonio Ledesma, quoting from the Pastoral letter of Archbishop of Jaro and CBCP president Angel Lagdameo on April 7, said: “The lack of clarity on how the changes will truly benefit our nation raises disturbing questions about who will truly benefit from these changes.”
“Is this truly a ‘people’s initiative’ or the initiative of self-seeking political players wanting to entrench themselves in power?” he added.
Bro. Mike Velarde of the Catholic charismatic movement El Shaddai on Wednesday ehcoed the CBCP’s line against the people’s initiative, stating that he had already instructed his members, whose number totals to five million here and abroad, not to sign the forms being circulated.
“People’s initiative means it should come from the people, not the people being directed by people in government,” Velarde said.
Ledesma said the Church had already started the information campaign on Charter change in several dioceses and among church-based groups. He added that while the institutional leaders of the Church cannot be at the forefront of the campaign against Charter change, the bishops are counting on the Christian laity “to take it upon themselves to be involved in the public affairs of our country.”
Groups and key personalities in the STOP Cha-Cha assembly agreed that there should be a more organized information drive against Charter change and the people’s initiative, especially in the provinces.
Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales yesterday announced that a nationwide anti-cha-cha campaign will be launched by party-list groups on May 1, in time for the celebration of Labor Day. This will be followed by a series of anti-cha-cha events like road shows, education campaigns, and forums, all leading up to what they said will be the “Big Event” in June.
Sigaw spokesperson Raul Lambino earlier said it will mobilize the 8.5 million signatories when the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines launches its information drive next week. ULAP will reportedly hold consultative meetings in all of the country’s 42,000 barangays right after May 1.
Other personalities who attended the forum were Randy David, Senator Pia Cayetano, House Minority Floor Leader Francisco Escudero, Taguig Rep. Alan Cayetano, Tarlac Representative Benigno Aquino III, Quezon Representative Erin Tañada, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito.
9 Responses to Anti-Charter change groups
vow to stop ‘cha-cha train’
Juan Makabayan
April 29th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
Mar 20, 2006
Our Constitution is in Peril
Charter Change by ‘Force Majeur’
On charter change, Rep Teddy Locsin had warned Rep Nograles, during an interview, that if the administration allies railroad the charter change, Cory would call on people power to oppose it. There were big anti-cha-cha rallies at Luneta during Ramos and at Ayala during Erap. But now, when all issues against charter change have aggravated, the people can hardly assemble because GMA is applying ‘calibrated preemptive response’ on protest rallies.
An Ultra-potentially Mega-disastrous Scheme
Duplicitouous (JdV) ways, devious (Puno-DILG) moves, sureptiticious (Abalos) steps, treasonous (Venable) deals, dubious(Pirma PI) means, suspicious (No El/term limit,) ends, deleterious(anti-patrimony) contents and perilous (in crises) timing are issues concerning the proposed charter change that contribute to making the entire ‘cha-cha now’ scheme ultra-potentially mega-disastrous for our nation, seriously jeopardizing the welfare of our people. Has it become not just a political but also a moral issue that the people must counter at every step and on all fronts?
Phil Cruz
April 29th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
JMakabayan,
Yes, it does seem that the public will have to take on the job of counter punching, doesn’t it? There are 85 million Filipinos. That’s a lot of counter punches and the people are limbering up.
And the options of this administration are narrowing down. They’re on the ropes. Not much room for maneuvering anymore compared to in the past. The next Supreme Court rulings are critical and much awaited. These are the fulcrums that could turn the tide one way or the other.
I think the nation is approaching the tipping point.
Juan Makabayan
April 29th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
“While I’m for amendments, not at this time because there are more serious problems that we have to address,” Aquino told reporters before a dialogue on the people’s initiative for Charter change (Cha-cha) at the Club Filipino in San Juan.
Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona agreed and said the government’s decision to institute reforms was a mere “cover-up to divert people from the real issues.”
Aquino and Guingona are at the forefront of “STOP (Sa Tamang Oras at Paraan) Cha-cha,” which seeks “to ardently oppose the Charter change railroad” of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Also in the bandwagon are senators and congressmen and civil society, Church and business groups.
http://stopchacha.blogspot.com/
Cecile Impens
April 29th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
Arroyo incomprehensible and hasty push on Cha-cha is disturbing. She never provided any clarification and vital informations regarding her proposed “change”! She even branded this as “people’s initiative”! If this is a real peoples’ initiative, then it she must “wait for the decision of the Filipinos”. Any changes in the Constitution mainly when it comes to hard-line policies MUST be approved first by the PEOPLE through Eeferendum, and “not by herself and her allies”. Not unless the administration will give importance to people’s participation in policy and decision making, the ghost of the People Power, will rise over and over again to haunt this irresponsible, corrupt and incompetent administration. How come the only time they seek the participation of the people is limited to “election day” only?
Juan Makabayan
April 29th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Phil said,
“I think the nation is approaching the tipping point.”
You are very keen. I see that you see what some had been warning about:
“Positioning
GMA’s generals, in and out of uniform, are strategically positioned, her political operators are tactically activated, her technocrats and beaurocrats control the logistics, her tradpols run the political machineries and her partners in business manipulate the economy. On the other side, the opposition is a weak coalition but the obstinate senate presents the challenging obstacle. On the mid-ground, her media critics are a manageable nuisance while the restive military is co-opted through bribery and red scare propaganda. On the sideline, the silent majority is neutralized by apathy and the masa is shackled by extreme poverty – ruthless dictator of priorities. (Protest is a luxury “para sa masa na isang kahig, isang tuka”.)
Constitutional Gambit
GMA can set or provoke the scenario for a proclamation of martial law to trigger a constitutional process that will bait or force the senate to join the lower house as a body or as a constituent assembly to jointly address the matter of the proclamation with the executive. GMA allies’ lower house majority will force its interpretation of “voting jointly” that would give them the numbers to railroad the ‘con-ass’ proceedings against the opposition in both chambers. Once charter change is voted into the agenda, it is easily railroaded and pushed onto the (ULAP) referendum express – coup-de-grace. This “window of opportunity” is very tempting for GMA and allies. Gambits, either accepted or declined, are risky, complicated and, for either side, potentially fatal. A crucial miscalculation could trigger a very violent scenario. But GMA’s operators are confident, “Everything is under control”.
Clear and Imminent Danger
Calibrating (CPR), calculating (P1017), maneuvering (coup in LP, Pirma), GMA’s operators and agents are ready to “confront fire with fire” (Special Operations Forces), careful but not afraid of “triggering a violent scenario”. The people must “swallow the bitter pill”, “pay the price”, “be ready to sacrifice more”, “for a better economy that’s on the verge of a takeoff”. GMA had made a commitment; her minions are committed. GMA will take the risks; the people will pay the price.
Which coup is the most treacherous and most damaging of all?
Are the people hoping for a Counter coup? A ‘Constitutional Rescue’? From GMA’s coup?
Or praying for a Benevolent coup? CBCP’s pastoral/moral coup? Civil Disobedience? AFP/PNP mass leave/resignation?
Notes:
A Judicial Coup is if the Supreme Court rules that the two chambers of congress vote jointly, not separately, in a constituent assembly and/or that the People’s Initiative mode of Charter Change is constitutional.
Creative Proactive Response – Citizens’ Initiatives
As such, the resolution of the critical impasse calls for a remedial coup as an element of wide-ranging and peaceful citizens’ initiatives that adhere to just and democratic processes to defend and strengthen our democratic institutions. “
Phil Cruz
April 30th, 2006 at 12:43 am
I laud the Stop Cha-Cha movement just launched and the timing couldn’t have been sooner.
These Malacanang bullies will ram their Cha-Cha train down our throats if they see little resistance to it. Stopping a train is best done before it reaches full speed. By then the only way to stop it is by ramming another train into it. And that would be too cataclysmic. So I hope there’s still time for merely derailing not ramming it. Best to do it now before their train reaches full momentum.
Admittedly quite a large portion of the population is uninformed and misinformed about the Cha-Cha issue and quite a large number are gullible and bribable. And the Palace propagandists are no push-overs in the Goebbels game. But I refuse to believe that STOP can’t outwit these Palace Rasputins.
Malacanang has been baiting the opposition forces and the whole nation to engage in a spirited debate on Cha-Cha so that Gloria’s past sins will be forgotten. But the Senate and the anti-Gloria Congressmen should continue with their investigations and inquiries in aid of legislation. This battle front should not be left unguarded.
Meanwhile, the Stop Cha-Cha Movement is led by Cory Aquino; a wise choice because in my book she is the only person who could lead it now. I see no other white knight around who could unite and lead this wide and huge coalition. (Some knights, by the way, are still just content peeping from their closets).
Sure, Cory has made mistakes as a president. But hey, who hasn’t. But as far as purity of intention, integrity and credibility is concerned, she still tops them all. No dark hidden agenda for this lady. And for sheer courage, look what she did to Marcos. This woman can’t be shaken by Gloria and her Men in Black.
So now we have the Senate ready to block the Con-Ass moves in Congress. And ready to resume their inquiries and investigations.
We have Cory and the STOP to block the Cha-Cha Train.
We have the whole Filipino nation closely watching the Supreme Court’s rulings.
Are all bases now covered?
How about the military?
I believe the military will ultimately be for the people, if the people show they are for themselves.
schumey
May 1st, 2006 at 5:01 am
But then again, the previous SC rulings could have been made as compromise. This “small setbacks” for the administration could all be part of a zarsuela which the SC would end by declaring the PI constitutional. I’m afraid that this would be the tipping point, the point of no return. This could effectively start a civil war which I don’t want to happen.
INSIDE PCIJ » Signatures in Sigaw ng Bayan petition ‘fabricated’
August 29th, 2006 at 12:18 am
[…] THE STOP Chacha movement today showed proof that signatures—annexed to the petition in support of Charter change—have been “fabricated.” In Makati, for example, some signatures were of deceased individuals; others were affixed more than once, and some were forged. […]
INSIDE PCIJ » Comelec rejects petition for people’s initiative
August 31st, 2006 at 9:22 pm
[…] In a forum last Monday, Senator Franklin Drilon asked Comelec to allow the STOP Chacha Movement to present evidence on the alleged fabrication of signatures even if issues of legality and sufficiency have not been resolved. […]