Thursday, December 21, 2006 Talk back: Cha-cha a risky gamble By Democrito C. Barcenas
WHEN the Arroyo government was on the verge of collapse following the Garci-tape scandal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo intoned in her Sona in July 2005: “Let the great debate on Charter change begin!”
The move was Machievellian and had two main purposes: First, to divert the attention of the people from the raging popular demand for her resignation and second, to perpetuate herself in power through a shift from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government.
To the extent that the national clamor for her resignation has waned and she is still in Malacañang, GMA has succeeded, although temporarily, in her first purpose.
Using the vast resources in the government, GMA and her minions dished out propaganda on the need to amend the 1987 Constitution. A National Consultative Commission was created ostensibly to “consult” the people on Charter change.
Almost all sectors wittingly or unwittingly, took GMA’s bait and naively participated in the “great debate” for Charter change. It effectively took the wind out of clamor for GMA’s resignation.
It was then that GMA launched the offensive to achieve her second purpose: to perpetuate herself in power.
The 1987 Constitution is clear that GMA’s term as president will expire on June 30, 2010. With various scandals and the issue of legitimacy hounding her, and her direct or indirect involvement in the assassinations of hundreds of activists, lawyers and journalists, GMA dreads the day when she loses her presidential immunity from suit.
This fear of the final reckoning is forcing GMA to want to stay in power forever. Her solution: change the Constitution from presidential to parliamentary and become prime minister or a strong president without term limits.
To change the Constitution, GMA and her robots in the House of Representatives have reportedly adopted contingency plans labeled as Plan A, B and C.
Plan A is changing the Constitution through people’s initiative. But the Supreme Court declared the move illegal and unconstitutional, branding it a gigantic fraud imposed on the people.
Plan B is Charter change through a constituent assembly. The House under Speaker Jose de Venecia and Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar callously amended its rules and shut off the Senate, violating the principle of bicameralism. That met stiff resistance from the people, forcing de Venecia and his minions to back off.
Plan C is Charter change through a constitutional convention (Con-con). This is GMA’s last card.
But we must be wary of history repeating itself. In 1973, Marcos eight-year term was ending and the 1935 Constitution prohibited another reelection. There was much hope for a new Constitution but Marcos, declared martial law and through bribery and intimidation had the Con-con adopt a constitution that gave him unlimited powers as president and prime minister.
If GMA has no compunction to bribe some bishops during the impeachment proceedings, she would surely buy the delegates of the Con-con.
Cha-Cha during GMA incumbency is therefore a very risky gamble. As George Santayana said, “those who do not learn the lessons of the past are doomed to repeat them.”
