column of The Philippine STAR

 

Babe's Eye View

By Babe Romualdez

 

Opinion Page


 

June 07, 2009 

 

 
 

 

'Un-Charter(ed) Course'

 
 

A lot of people are now twittering over House Resolution 1109 which calls for a constituent assembly (con-ass) to amend the Constitution even without Senate participation. Critics and opposition members were quick to pounce on President Arroyo and her Congressional allies, with Brother Eddie Villanueva of the JIL Movement leading the pack in denouncing the resolution and threatening to stage huge rallies to stop con-ass even as he branded GMA a “terrorist.”

From his detention cell, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim followed suit, calling on soldiers to stop GMA from perpetuating her term beyond 2010. Some members of the clergy also joined the fray, saying “these are evil times” while urging the Catholic faithful to pray for deliverance. Party-list groups, NGOs, leftists and all kinds of anti-GMA/con-ass groups are raising all sorts of grim scenarios including the possibility of another EDSA People Power revolution with the streets resembling a battleground once again.

You have to hand it to the Filipino flair for dramatics, coming out with colorful metaphors and figurative language to describe HR 1109, such as the “illegitimate first-born child of the Lakas-Kampi marriage” in reference to the recent merging of the two pro-Arroyo political parties.

Although proponents (as well as the resolution itself) had stated that there will be no term extensions for all incumbent officials from the president down to mayors (except for the 12 Senators whose terms will end in 2013), and that there will be elections in 2010, the pervasive sentiment is one of suspicion that all this is just a ploy since it would be possible to insert “self-serving” amendments once the con-ass is convened. After all, some HR 1109 supporters have admitted that once the proposal is on the floor, “anything could happen.”

But as pointed out by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the House resolution was simply a call for the convening of a constituent assembly to study possible amendments to the present Charter. Thus, there is no cause for action yet since members of the Lower House have not proposed any amendment on their own, without the participation of the Senate—which would render the move illegal and unconstitutional. There is, however, some concern about the “pre-emptive strike” of lawyer Oliver Lozano and his daughter in filing a petition before the Supreme Court questioning HR 1109.

But as Constitutional expert and Ateneo Law dean emeritus Fr. Joaquin Bernas had warned, it would be a “fatal mistake” for the House of Representatives to push for Charter amendments without the participation of the Senate. Like Enrile, Father Bernas is cool and not hysterical, being cautious about running posthaste to the Supreme Court to question the House resolution since no crime has yet been committed, so to speak.

Although many agree that the present Charter has a lot of infirmities and revisions are in fact needed specifically on shortsighted economic provisions, it’s pretty clear that to do so now would be a grave mistake, with suspicions already heightened about the motives of those who want to push it before the 2010 elections.

If you really look closely, what’s happening is like a game of tug-of-war where one team has become so afraid of losing that whenever their opponents make a move towards the “home base,” they also go running to that direction. The same seems to be true with the furor over the proposed con-ass.

But realistically speaking, the proponents can only initiate and push it to a certain extent. After all, GMA is much too smart to put herself in a situation where the potential consequences could be disastrous. I don’t think GMA is about to plot an “un-Charter(ed) course” that would spell disaster and bring the country into chaos. To do so especially at this time of global economic turbulence would be akin to suicide, because it would only fuel the mounting resentment of the people.

The United States has made it clear that they want an election to take place next year, as articulated both by US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Senator Enrile is right in keeping the Senate “cool” for the moment about the issue.

At best, what is happening is a savvy political strategy that tells you how good GMA is at pushing the right buttons to agitate her opponents. It’s quite obvious that all this is a plan to set the stage for the political opposition to fail—because it is clear that the May 2010 elections will push through—and GMA can probably have the last laugh and twit her critics. No doubt she is not going to allow a doomsday scenario like “No-El” to happen. She’s just too smart a cookie to do that.

GMA continues to stress the point that despite the political din all around her, she is not allowing herself to be distracted from her work in lifting the country’s economy, providing jobs for Filipinos, etc.—something which could finally push the voters to choose her anointed one who will continue the economic reforms she has initiated.

At the very least, the scenario that the Administration would like to see happen is that when everything is said and done, GMA’s anointed will ultimately push for Charter change after he successfully wins in the 2010 elections. In which case she will probably run for Parliament—and perhaps become the prime minister? That is probably the endgame—a scenario that is not at all farfetched.


 

Email: babeseyeview@yahoo.com

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