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Friday, March 24, 2006
Editorial: Smokescreen
THE news that Charter change is now being pursued relentlessly by the Palace is nothing new but it does gain some relevance specifically in the local front when Mayor Vicente Emano confirmed in a radio interview that the Liga ng Mga Barangay will initiate hearings on Charter change tomorrow.
Perhaps sensing that the impeachment complaint is gathering steam the Arroyo administration is fast tracking their Charter change campaign by going to the grassroots level where they have the advantage in both personnel and resources than the opposition.
Through this perhaps they hope that they can divide the opposition impeachment campaign and expend its energy by compelling them to counteract this initiative with whatever limited resources at their disposal. Hence the importance of a strong and united opposition front.
That and a continuing crackdown on the more vocal critics would enable the Palace to steamroll the Cha-cha campaign straight to the people. This is where local execs like Mayor Vicente Emano and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte come in along with other officials loyal to the Arroyo administration.
In a radio interview, Emano reiterated their preference for a parliamentary form of government that would replace the current presidential setup. In this regard the mayor has most politicians whether administration or opposition agreeing with this proposal with some opposition figures even suggesting a parliamentary-federal system.
Still the way to go about it is being opposed by not a few groups who reiterate time and again that the Charter change campaign is a blatant diversionary tactic by the Palace to divert attention from the abuses and credibility issues of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
This smokescreen -- some say nothing more than a smoke emission--would certainly expand with the ongoing Sandiganbayan trial of former President Joseph Estrada who still enjoys a modicum of support from the opposition.
Should the Sandiganbayan trial play out along with the impeachment campaign anew this could pose trouble anew for the Malacanang tenants.
And we still haven't factored in yet the "fake passport disclosure" given by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on ex-Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, something we'll have to discuss either tomorrow or sometime this week.
At any rate the Palace PR machine will have to work overtime to work out their smokescreen.
(March 24, 2006 issue)
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