Friday, August 19, 2005
Senators hit, back proposed emergency powers for Arroyo
SENATOR Joker Arroyo called Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla's proposal to bestow emergency powers to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to solve the looming oil crisis a "Hyatt 10 in disguise."
Senator Arroyo wondered why Lotilla would choose to pattern a proposal after a Marcos edict. He said Lotilla must be reminded that Batasan Pambansa (BP) 73 was hatched and enforced during the dark days of Martial law.
He concluded that Lotilla might unintentionally want to speed up the ouster of President Arroyo.
"Pray tell me, Lotilla, why in our democracy you want a fascist model for emergency powers. Have you read it? And if so, did you understand it? All the ministries: Energy, Industry and Trade, Public Works, Labor and Employment, Education and Culture, Human Settlements and others were all harnessed to impose a fascist order. You want to accelerate Arroyo's ouster," said Senator Arroyo.
Senator Arroyo advised Malacañang and the Department of Energy (DOE) to answer first three preliminary questions before they ask Congress to give emergency powers to President Arroyo.
Senator Arroyo said they must determine first what the oil inventory is at this point, second, be reminded that the last time Congress granted emergency powers, it resulted in notorious independent power producers (IPP) contracts and thirdly, Energy Secretary Popoy Lotilla should be told that his scale model for emergency powers was a Marcos edict during the dictatorship regime.
Senator Arroyo said the DOE must answer first if the country has enough fuel reserves to last up to 120 days because by knowing so, the country will not be caught flat-footed in case of emergency.
The senator said the energy department's primary duty is to monitor the country's day-to-day oil inventory and if they cannot answer the question, then the "DOE, in its blissful ignorance, has no reason to urge for extraordinary powers for the President."
Senator Arroyo said in the Marcos and Aquino governments, they had at all times a high of 120 days reserve and a low of 70 days or an average of 90 days or three-month supply in case of emergency.
The energy department must be reminded too that the last time Congress granted emergency powers, it resulted in "notorious IPP contracts."
"IPP put up generating plants and the Napocor (National Power Corporation), in onerous one-sided contracts, agreed to buy and pay for all the electricity they generated whether the consumers needed them or not. The result is a P500 billion loss to Napocor, which the taxpayers are paying for and has contributed to our unsolvable debt problem. That is direct result of Posers for Emergency scams," Senator Arroyo said.
On the other hand, opposition senator Aquilino Pimentel said no amount of emergency powers will help President Arroyo in cushioning the impact of the oil crisis, stressing that her resignation is still the best solution to solve the country's oil woes.
Meanwhile, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago supported the proposal to bestow President Arroyo emergency powers to solve the looming oil crisis, stressing there is no other alternative.
Santiago said the country would not be able to survive economically as a people unless certain measures are taken "to alleviate the fact that the price of crude oil have hit a record high of US$67 per barrel."
"There is nothing we can do about this. Nobody in the international community has the power to control the prices, which are set by market forces," Santiago said.
"If that is the case, all we can do is try and review the effect on the poor, we are a Third World country, some of the poorest people of the world are living with us and so therefore, if it is necessary to give emergency powers to the President, as a senator I would vote in favor of emergency powers," she added.
Santiago said lawmakers could include in the bill a resolution that would direct President Arroyo to comply with the instructions of the Senate so that it should not be a cause for worry. (JPM/Sunnex)
(August 19, 2005 issue)
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