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Saturday, December 17, 2005
Constitutional commission: Scrap 2007 polls
MANILA -- The Citizens Constitutional Commission (Concom) recommended that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo head an interim parliament from 2007 to 2010.
They also want to suspend the 2007 local elections to pave the way for the shift from a presidential to parliamentary government.
The recommendations are contained in a report that the 55-member commission submitted to Arroyo Friday, after two-and-a half months of public consultation.
Arroyo is expected to submit the report to Congress in time for the deliberation on Charter amendments.
The House of Representatives recently adopted a resolution endorsing that Congress be convened into a constituent assembly (Con-ass), which would deliberate on the proposed amendments in the 1987 Constitution, including a shift in the form of government.
The proposal would face a "fundamental legal obstacle," Concom member and former Cebu governor Pablo Garcia said, as the Constitution prohibits lawmakers from adopting measures that would benefit the ones approving it.
If the Concom proposal would be carried by Con-ass, he said, even legislators who are on their last term would stay in office after 2007.
Garcia considers "illegal and immoral" the proposal to scrap the 2007 elections.
He said they lost, in an intense debate, their bid to block the proposal.
"If I have to listen to my heart I would say yes to this because my daughter is an incumbent governor. But I have to listen to reason and conscience," Garcia said.
His daughter, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, however, thinks differently.
She agrees with the proposal, saying an election is "very costly and divisive economically, emotionally, and psychologically."
"It's better to have the moratorium (on the 2007 election) and let's concentrate on developing our economy," she said.
Representative Simeon Kintanar shares her view.
"I am happy with that. We don't need elections, which is causing so much trouble. We need progress," he said.
"Ang mga tawo dili gusto og elections. When we are already stable, we can go into serious elections in 2010," he added.
Self-serving
On the other hand, Cebu City's representatives -- Raul del Mar (north district) and Antonio Cuenco (south district) -- are against the proposal.
"It will mean an additional term for us. I don't think the people will allow it. To favor that will be self-serving. It will be a term extension without a mandate," del Mar told Sun.Star Cebu Friday.
For his part, Cuenco said, "The people will have the final say during the plebiscite. But I will not campaign for the scrapping of the 2007 elections."
The former governor said a survey shows that people resist Charter change because they don't believe there's something wrong with the system. The people believe there is something wrong with the elected officials.
"Now, the people will have a chance to change the people. But with the scrapping of the 2007 elections, the system will be changed without giving the people a chance to change the wrong people," Garcia said.
Arrangements
He disclosed that the proposal was disapproved during the first vote, at 18-16.
But someone asked for reconsideration and, after lobbying, the proposal was carried at 22-19.
The commission suggested that upon ratification of the Constitution, an interim parliament will be set up and start work from June 2007 to June 2010.
Arroyo would remain President, with the Senate and the House of Representatives automatically becoming members of the interim parliament, the recommendation said.
Most of the House members who readily agreed with the proposal were from the administration bloc who, believe it is the best move to carry out the much-delayed changes in the 18-year-old Constitution.
Some members of the opposition, on the other hand, have not discounted the possibility that such a recommendation was a mere "bribe" to silence them, amid continued calls for President Arroyo to resign.
The President called the Concom proposals "a road map...towards the fulfillment of our dreams" of being a wealthy country in 20 years.
"The Philippines must not be left behind as it is being left behind," she said in a speech. "The key is systemic change, a change in the system."
5-year terms
Under the proposals, members of parliament must be at least 25 and college graduates. They would serve a five-year term.
The prime minister, who would exercise executive powers, would be elected by a majority of all members of parliament.
In a gradual shift to a federal system, grouping existing provinces into autonomous territories will form the states.
The current protectionist provisions in the Constitution -- which limit foreign participation in the economy -- will be liberalized, allowing corporations fully owned by foreigners to develop and use natural resources and lease agricultural and reclaimed lands.
Foreigners would also be allowed to own schools offering college courses, advertising, mass media and public utilities. (AP/JPM/Sunnex)
(December 17, 2005 issue)
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