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Abominable

Conceived in deceit, the Gloria Arroyo-appointed Consultative Commission produced a set of recommendations so abominable that the Filipino should move to discard not only the documents but also its authors.

The rare politicians who have not lost their sense of decency have already issued statements condemning the recommendations submitted last Friday to Arroyo by the Con-Com, which was tasked to propose revisions to the 1987 Constitution.

Rep. Roilo Golez said the recommendation to scrap the 2007 elections and extend the term of all elective officials was an “indecent proposal” and a form of bribery. He sees it “as a political ploy to save the administration from certain defeat in the coming mid-term election.”

Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, described it as a “lowest form of bribery. It’s saying, ‘we, leaders, are all protected. Let’s make a fool of the people.”

Gordon speaks with the wisdom of experience having been a member of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1973 Constitution under the Marcos dictatorship. A number of the recommendations of Arroyo’s Con-Com are so eerily reminiscent of the Marcos Con-Com that also changed the government from presidential to parliamentary with Marcos acting as both president and prime minister during the transition period. Arroyo’s Con-Com recommended that Arroyo act as both prime minister (head of government) and president (head of state) until 2010.

Arroyo’s Con-Com also made sure that she becomes even more powerful by giving her the power to fill the Parliament with her stooges. In addition to members of the Senate and House of Representatives, she would have the power to appoint one-third of her cabinet and thirty experts as members of the Interim Parliament.

Golez said “the proposal to pack the parliament (with her allies) is shameless. I can’t believe they even attempted this. How they insult the people’s intelligence!”

What Arroyo hailed as a “road map …towards the fulfillment of our dream” is the handiwork of Rigoberto Tiglao, outgoing head of the Presidential Management Staff who has just been confirmed ambassador to Greece. As head of the secretariat to the Con-Com headed by guileless Jose Abueva, Tiglao was able to manipulate the proceedings and influence the substance of the recommendations.

Con-Com sources said Tiglao often met with Lito Lorenzana, Con-Com secretary general and Romela Bengzon, deputy secretary general.

In a letter to Arroyo, seven of the commissioners who refused to sign the recommendations (Rene Azurin, Jose Villanueva, Gerardo Espina Sr., Jose Leviste Jr., James Marty Lim, Anthony Acevedo, and Donald Dee) expressed doubt over the so-called “consultations” arranged by Tiglao’s PMS for the body. “We are (also) of the opinion that the system of ‘consultations’, as conducted, did not allow for an adequate airing of the relevant issues and that the results being reported by the Commission cannot therefore reflect the informed opinions of those ‘consulted’. Moreover, we feel that the Commission’s interpretation of the results of said ‘consultations’ is highly questionable.”

Tiglao’s influence in the substance of the Con-Com’s recommendation, which Arroyo immediately transmitted to Congress, reminds us of the role of Estelito Mendoza, Marcos’ solicitor-general and justice secretary, who kept a close watch of the proceedings of the Con-Com that drafted the 1973 Constitution.

The dissenting seven have a number of reservations about the results of the Con-Com’s work but their main concern is the shift to parliamentary form of government. They said: “The fusion of the executive and legislative branches of government in a single body – Parliament – concentrates too much power in the hands of politicos. The power of the Prime Minister and his ruling coalition in a parliamentary government to decide on projects, appropriate the funds needed for these projects, and then implement these projects effectively gives them discretion over the entire national budget (except of course for debt servicing and other fixed expenditures), and there are few checks to control possible abuse.”

They also warned of “the inherent instability in the tenure of the Prime Minister and his utter dependence on the votes of the other members of Parliament for his stay in office from one day to the next enshrines ‘horse trading’ and ‘transactional’ decision-making as the parliamentary way of governance. The ability to change leaders frequently and at any time is not a virtue (as proponents of the parliamentary form claim), but a very serious shortcoming. Because a parliamentary government can fall any time a sufficient number of members of Parliament withdraw their support from the ruling coalition, the Prime Minister and his ruling gang are forever hostage to the demands of every member of Parliament.”

The idea of a Charter Change was an obsession of the charisma-challenged House Speaker Jose de Venecia, who has realized that there’s no way he can lead the country under a one-person, one-vote presidential system.

President Fidel V. Ramos, De Venecia’s political associate, who cannot be away from the center of power, has also long espoused charter change.

Arroyo’s lack of an electoral mandate forced her to cultivate De Venecia and Ramos’ initiative. Her shaky political position made her hostage to the ambitions of the two major powerful players. Ramos came to her rescue when former President Aquino and 10 of Arroyo’s key officials abandoned her last July 8. De Venecia’s congressmen saved Arroyo from being impeached.

Wily as she is, Arroyo was able to use what was perceived as a threat to cut her hold on the presidency to consolidate power, if the recommendations of the Concom become a reality. At the expense of our democratic institutions and our future.

Published inMalaya

1,477 Comments

  1. Anna de Brux Anna de Brux

    Dear Ellen,

    May the Filipino nation heed your call!

    The bunch in government led by Gloria are so ‘Jacobin’, so Reobespierresque that they deserve no less than the guillotine!

    How dare these opportunists, these malfaisants (evil-doers) even begin to think that they can get away with so dastardly a proposal?

    Gloria and Tiglao (never did like this ‘intellectual’ cheapskate) deserve to be thrown in the Aegean Sea together!

  2. Karl Karl

    Parliamentarianism
    its not the system its the characters

    if minority becomes majority let us see what will happen
    we will only know if NOEL gets killed in the senate…

    Thanks to ambassador cruz I can reinforce my beliefs about woes of federalism

    Karl Says:

    December 19th, 2005 at 5:39 am

    Ambasssador Cruz,

    Bosnia and Chechnya are examples of a result of integration/disintegration(agree with you been commenting it for a couple of months now but in the wrong topic, now is the right topic I believe)

    I won’t even mention South Africa and the rest of Africa
    and Palestine

    Mindanao will only want more independence
    and may gain symphaty from its neighbors and kick out all the christians in mindanao…scary
    No genocide in RP Please… worse ethnic cleansing….

  3. Nick Mangaran Nick Mangaran

    Lets play simple arithmetic (algebra)
    Problem:
    Greedy Mc Arrovo (GMA) is endorsing Charter Change to form parliamentary government. Judas De Volero (JDV) as well as the multiple admin congressman are trying to be pathetic to fool the Filipino people.
    Who’s going to get the credit plus debit equals “kupit” for ChaCha? How long the “ilong” of GMA will extend? Find the cheater (oops) “I’m sorry” I mean – the answer ?
    Find X
    Equation: X = Cha – Cha + NoEl =
    Solution:
    Year 2007 Election will mean No VOTE for the Admin congressman candidate.
    Opposition will find No hard time for the impeachment.
    ChaCha will be equal to NoEl. Therefore the “ilong” of GMA will be keeping extending up to 2010.

    Answer:
    X = Cha – Cha + NoEl = 2010
    GMA will get credit plus JDV gets debit = “kupit”

  4. Etnad Etnad

    Sa aking opinyon ay isa lang ang aking sinisisi kung bakit nagkakaganyan ang
    ating bansa, walang iba kundi si Gng. Fidel Ramos. Bago pa matapos ang
    termino niya, gusto na niyang isulong ang Cha-Cha dahil po alam niyang
    malakas si Erap at kahit isa sa mga alagad niya ay walang tatalo kahit pa si
    Gng. De Venecia. Natuloy ang eleksiyon at nanalo nga si Erap pero meron
    silang nilulutong ibang estratehiya yon yong pagpapatalsik kay Erap at
    pauupuin si GMA. Ginawa nila ito pagkat sa pagkaka-alam po ni Gng. Ramos ay
    wala po talagang ma-ayos na papalit sa kanya, akala po niya siya lang ang
    magaling at pupuwede. Bale siya na po ang nagsasalita para sa buong
    Pilipinas. Sa ngayon hindi ko pa masabi na ang nangyayari sa atin ay kung
    yong gusto niya o baka nautakan na siya ni GMA. Noong huling eleksiyon,
    pinilit nila talagang matalo si FPJ dahil po alam nila na wala ring alam
    ito. Di ba ang mga nangyayari ngayon sa atin ay parang noong panahon ni
    Pres. Marcos? Repeat performance ika nga. Kasi po karamihan pa sa mga
    “think-tank” ni Pres. Marcos ay buhay pa at umaali-aligid pa. At siguro
    gusto niya ay parang siya si Lee-Kuan Yew ng Singapore. Di po niya ini-isip
    na kahit palitan po nila ang gobyerno at gawing Parliamentary, eh kung
    sila-sila pa rin ang uupo, eh di ganoon pa din. Kawawa talaga ang ating
    Bansa.

    Iyan lang po ang aking opinyon.

    Etnad

  5. Karl Karl

    refer to below
    sa Iraq ko na aply yung theory pero communism ,integration,disintegration ang naging approach ko

    By Karl said…
    Iraq,
    The cradle of civilization…..

    where the garden of Eden was said to be
    where Noah had his ark
    where the first wars of this earth were recorded by history

    (maybe the chinese historians had the writers block then)

    Seccessionism,ethnic cleansing…
    Palestine,Chechnya,Bosnia,Rwanda,Somalia,and the rest of africa…

    Seccesionism= Ethnic cleansing

    Ussr,Yugoslavia
    had a tate of communism then integration after that back to seccessionism (Chechnya,Bosnia )

    I am not even mentioning Philippines..one of its kind in Asia..the only Asian country who does not love Football(soccer)

  6. Karl Karl

    Gawan natin ng paraan ang problema ng Pinas
    Una wag natin payagan NOEL
    pinakamabilis dyan ay huwag natin pabayaan magbago ang isip ng senado tungkol sa NOEL indecent proposal
    NO SWEAT

    Tapos tulungan natin minorya maging majority sa 2007
    syempre by voting for them……:)

    ang
    nakaraan ay nakaraan habang may bukas may pag asa

    You already know where I came from and my biases which I am turning into Objectivity pero tulad ng sinabi ko ako ay ako ang erpat ko erpat ko…………. ako bata pa na gusto pa makita ang Pilipinas beyond the mess

  7. Karl Karl

    National interest is beyond public interest
    beyond politics beyond showbiz beyond sports

    IT IS FOR THE FLAG

    but what is national interest
    before drawing a map you got to know where you are going

    before proposing any solutions you gotta know the problem First

    FROM NOW ON

    I am Apolitical I am neither opposition nor administration

    I AM FOR WHAT IS RIGHT

    I AM FOR EMPATHY Not for APATHY

    You ask for principles that is Where I stand !

    where ever you stand or everybody else’s stand I respect…

    If she lied ,cheated and stole then we should help LOREN then;

    she has the direction in proving them….

  8. Karl Karl

    Miss Ellen and Readers tama ba ito nasa ibaba?

    Charter change sans the ‘bribe’
    GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc
    The Philippine Star 12/19/2005

    ……………………….fast forward……
    At this point, the only way to save Charter change is to convince the Senate to look at the Con-Com proposals without the no-election proviso. It’s not so much for the three months’ hard work of the Con-Com than the sentiments gathered from public consultations.

    In those consultations the advanced elements of society – leaders in government, business, civics and sectors – gathered to present their views. Some came and left unconvinced of any Charter change at all. Most stayed to debate the pros and cons of presidential versus parliamentary form, of centralized versus autonomous structure via federalism, and xenophobic limits to Filipinos of ownership of media and advertising outfits, public utilities and residential land. In straw votes, there was overwhelming favor for a unicameral parliament to break the perennial deadlocks in Congress, or between the executive and legislative branches, before and after martial law. The farther the consulted were from Manila, the louder was their cry for greater autonomy, through federalism or other means. Restrictions were deemed wise only in ownership of agricultural lands and in exploiting natural resources. Charter change was seen as a necessary step, alongside a change of individuals as well, to correct the political and economy systems……………………
    …………………………

  9. Karl Karl

    I emailed Miss Carmen Pedrosa and asked her to check the blogosphere to see how people feel

    here was my answer…..

    Thanks. I will look into it but to be perfectly frank it is not the opposition we want to convince. They have no way to go but to oppose. Its the millions out there who need to know the truth and what is good for our country. Carmen N. Pedrosa

    ……………………………………………………
    draw your own conclusion

  10. Karl Karl

    Buti pa si prof randy david kahit di nagbloblog alam nya potential nito……………….

    Hi Karl,

    Many thanks for bringing to my attention the growing influence of the blogsphere. As I do not maintain my own blog, I am naturally not aware of the extent to which people now visit the blog sites of others. But you may be right — this is the democracy of the future.

    Randy David

  11. Karl Karl

    Uy Merry Xmas…commercial muna

    di ako seryoso masyado hah kait si Pat vangelista bibigyan ko ng attention…..

    ay naku… bale wala naman yung mga batikos kay patricia. masyadong ideological at palagay ko hindi din naman naiintindihan ng mabuti ng mga sumagot sa column nya. palibhasa nangaling din ako dun, napapailing na lang ako kapag nakakabasa ako ng ganyang parang na-brainwash sa isang teach-in ng mga kaliwa sa UP. kay patricia naman, kailangang matuto din sya na makabasa ng mga matitinding reaction sa kanyang mga sinusulat.

    boo chanco

  12. Karl Karl

    Its now obvious
    I read PDI Philstar and Malaya

  13. Karl Karl

    of course pag trapik binilbili ko sa daan

    ABANTE

    nung me auto pa kami

  14. Hermie C. Cruz, Amb. (ret.) Hermie C. Cruz, Amb. (ret.)

    Proposals to amend the Constitution must be done by a
    Constitutional Convention with the delegates elected by the
    people. In 1971 we were faced with the same problem
    of converting into a parliamentary system of government. The people simply elected the majority of delegates who
    are for maintaining the presidential system. If we have a
    ConCon, the people’s pulse will be verifiable by judging the number of delegates they elect who are in favor of either the presidential or parliamentary system of government as the case may be. One may note that in the
    Quintero case in 1971, there was a brazen attempt by FM
    to bribe the ConCon delegates. But the effort failed
    because the delegates who run on a platform of maintaining the presidential system lived up to their commitments to the
    public. Had FM succeeded, there was no need to declare
    Martial Law. FM would have set himself up as Prime Minister for life a la Lee Kuan Yu.

    The Report of the ConCom should be viewed for what it is :
    It is a self serving document prepared by a pre-selected
    group of people majority of whom will do the biding of
    GMA. Nonetheless, we should take our hats off and should
    not overlook those delegates who had the courage to dissent
    and speak for the people.

  15. You are what you read, sabi ng isang wise man. Kaya tayo, karl,na lahat binabasa, halo-halo ang labas natin. Ha!Ha! Ha!

    To me, i want to open my eyes to everything. Then I decide. It’s difficult to decide and to comment when you only know one side.

    Since Pedrosa does not give importance to what others think, we should not also give importance to her. That simply shows what kind of “consultations” they conducted.

    I’m also not sold on Jarius’ view that we should give charter change a chance NOW.

    Cha-Cha now is being used to save Arroyo from facing her crimes committed to the Filipino people. Hindi puede ganoon. If an ordinary person gets punished, imprisoned for stealing a few hundred pesos, why should Gloria Arroyo be rewarded with power when she stole the people’s votes, and stole the people money to buy votes. It’s so against mortal and divine law.

  16. Karl Karl

    Eto yung una ko e-mail ke miss pedrosa oct 16,2005
    nagbakasakali ako na baka nakikinig naman siya o sila……………..

    Thank you for your comments. I will forward it to the Commission as part of our consultations with citizens. Carmen N. Pedrosa

    On 10/16/05, karl_m_gar@yahoo.com wrote:
    Dear Ma’am,

    I am a reader of your column.

    I also read what Mr.Alex Magno (Star)and and Mr.
    Honesto General(Inquirer)

    They say that a federal system adds another layer to
    the bureacracy and is very costly.
    Mr. Magno even says that many confuse Federalsim to
    decentralization.
    Now I am more confused. Speaker De Venecia and PGMA
    advertises federalsm as something that will move focus
    away from Metro Manila, if they do not mean
    decentralization then what do they mean?

    As to each state having its own layer of bureaucracy
    like own assembly,plus other layers.
    Aren’t they basing it on some kind of model maybe the
    Canadian model; If so then why not propose something
    different from the Canadian model or whatever model
    they base their “fears” on.
    They said their piece.(Isn’t Mr.Magno a member of the
    CONCOM )Do they need more convincing that the purpose
    of the commission is to cover all bases.

    It is unfortunate that most Filipinos have not even
    read the constitution. To be honest the only time I
    read it was during College, because it is a
    requirement. The only chance I get to read about
    constitution is to the so called “unconstitutionality”
    of certain laws and executive orders.
    How can surveys say that filipinos do not want charter
    change, when do not know what it is all about?

    Would you allow me to have my own inputs as well?
    Pardon my ignorance(which might show as you read
    on…)

    If they worry about more bureacratic layers why not
    lesson the suggeted number of states from 12 to 9
    like say in Luzon (3)the Norhern, the central and the
    Southern.In Visayas 2(eatern and Western) and in and
    the rest in Mindanao where it is more difficult
    because I do not know if the MNLF and the MILF would
    want to be in the same state.

    About the layers then lesssen it by limiting
    representation to the national assembly and reatin or
    even reduce the current local bureacratic layers from
    the governor to the barangays, the only way I can see
    this to merge the council and the barangay.

    And the so called additional districts because of
    rising population is BS(oardon me). I live in
    paranaque and they added a district just to accomodate
    Mr. Goplez so that Mr. Zialcita would not have any
    problems at all.
    They say that there would be more offices, more
    staff,more and more.
    One more is the poor states will become poorer because
    they will be left alone.They say that there would be
    more taxes, and the national debt would worsen and
    all.

    Again, that is why you have your commission so
    everything will be addressed.

    I wish you good luck and I hope your commission will
    remain.
    First thing first, I hope you get a consensus on the
    parliamentary from.

    God speed!

    Karl M. Garcia
    97 Champaca Tahanan Village Paranaque

  17. Salina Salina

    The reason Gloria Arroyo want to change the constitution is so that she can stay in her stolen power forever.

  18. myrna myrna

    Karl, kailan pa ba nagkaroon ng credibility yang si Jarius Bondoc at si Alex Magno? Pare-pareho rin lang yan ni Max Soliven, masyadong sipsip sa pekeng presidente.

    Handpicked ni Gloria ang mga nagbuo ng Concon, kaya siempre, ang recommendation nila, extension ng stay ng kanilang patron(satan) di ba? Obvious.

    Kung talagang gusto nilang palitan ang Constitution at ang system of government sa Pilipinas, daanin nila sa pagtanong sa mga tao, and I mean, lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas na pwedeng bumoto. Yun nga lang, unahin nilang linisin ang Comelec.

    Imo-model ang Pilipinas sa ibang bansa like Singapore, Japan, etc., eh buti kung may mga integridad sina Gloria kagaya ng namumuno ng mga bansang tinutukoy. Wala naman.

    Si Abueva, nakakasuka, pati na rin si Pedrosa. Puro mga self-serving ang mga ginagawa. Pasipsip lahat.

    Wala na ba talagang pag-asang matanggal ang kanunu-nunuan na unano sa Malacanang?

  19. Jon Jon

    Supreme Court – Marami doon bata ni Gloria
    – Result= lahat ng kaso panalo si Gloria (mula pa noong pinatalsik nila si Erap)

    Comelec – Marami doon handpicked ni Gloria
    – Result = sa bilangan panalo si Gloria

    Other Gov’t Departments – Lahat ng cabinet members handpicked ni Gloria
    – Result – puno ng pera bulsa ni Gloria(thru Mike!)

    Concom – Commissioners handpicked ni Gloria
    – Result = Lahat recommendations ni Gloria!

    What else do we expect to happen? Dapat ba pabayaan lang sila? Dapat hindi di ba?

  20. Karl Karl

    napanood ko interview Ricky Carandang Lito Lorenzana

    Sabi let the debates begin or continue di ko na alam kung ano sinabi nya

    pero bakit wala party reform o political reform
    ewan daw nya masyado daw sensitibo idiscuss

    kaya ewan ko din sa kanya SEC GEn of Con Com
    tinulugan ko na lang

    me pag asa pa mga kababayan stop NOEL 2007
    let us knock on the doors of senate
    di ko nga alm kung makatulong ang pagiging konsultant ni erpat ke biazon
    pero sa nabasa ko kahapon sa PDI ika nga ni Joker
    DEAD,DEADER and DEADEST na daw ang proposal
    let us see pag me halong power play nato
    that Powerplay is the thing we must help in stopping…

  21. kikoy kikoy

    naniniwala ako sa theory ni etnad, mula sa umpisa pa lang eto ay pakana ni tabako… mula ng sumiklab ang unang edsa revolution hanggang sa pagkakaluklok kay ate glue. sino pa nga ba ang paghihinalaan mong kumikilos sa likod ng maruming pulitika kundi si tabako. magandang “conspiracy theory” eto na dapat pag usapan. sana may mga taong pag aralan ang galaw ni tabako at ng kanyang mga alagad bago mahuli ang lahat…

  22. Karl Karl

    Question regarding 3/4 congress vote bypassing senate

    I need help from lawyers…

    Rizalist don’t know if you are a lawywer but your anti wire tapping blogs sounded lawyer to me…

    Ambassador, if you are free any comment?

  23. si ate glue ay isa lamang sa mga puppet ni tabako upang makuha nya ang kanyang sariling interest. di na nya kailangang mag front upang makuha nya ang kanyang gusto kung meron namang magagamit. db? playing safe ang laro ni tabako.

  24. Anna de Brux Anna de Brux

    Ellen,

    Para kay Kikoy itong aking message:

    Sa opinion ko, si Gloria ay hindi puppet ni Tabako dahil maski si Cory walang influence kay Gloria.

    Si Gloria ay experto at nabuhay sa politica ng compromisyo at ang kanyang interest ay para sa kanya lang. Itong babae na ito ay walang kinikilalang master kung hindi ang sarili niya.

    Ang kanyang pag-ayon sa ibang tradpols ay kunyari lang; hindi upang magbigay ng opportunidad sa bagong ideyas para sa kapakanan ng taong bayan – ito ay kanyang ginagawa upang manatili sa kanyang puwesto.

    Si Gloria ay isa sa pinakamababaw na moralidad ng tao na may power na nakita ko. Ang kanyang paging garapal ay napaka obvious. Ang ibang nating ngaging presidentes ay (at least) mas konting tunay sa kanilang pagkatao ang kanilang palabas – konti lang ang pagka-hypocrite pero itong si Gloria ay sobra.

    Masyadong ganid, masyadong suwapang, masyadong abilidad para magsinungaling at masyado ang PRIDE na believe siya sa kanyang destiny – walang man lang konting pag-ibig sa kanyang taong bayan. Ang isang ina na walang pagmamahal sa kanyang anak ay parang ‘puta’ na ang mahal ay pera lang. Si Gloria, sa kanyang puwesto ay dapat ang ‘ina’ ngunit siya ay hindi damdamin ina. Mas maraming ‘puta’ na may quality ng pagmamahal sa kanila kapuwa, sa kanilang anak ngunit si Gloria ay ibang klaseng ‘puta’.

    Ang sabi nga ni Billy Esposo ay totoo: si Gloria ay personification ng HARLOT POLITICS… (harlot is a very strong word ngunit ito ay tamang term para kay Gloria!)

  25. Jarius Bondoc protests and says na wag raw silang tawagin na Arroyo rubberstamp dahil contra raw sila sa “No Elections” proposal ni Arroyo.

    Awww…

    If that’s the case, then bakit ngayon lang kayo umaangal sa publiko, after the opposition and the public has made it known na unacceptable yang “No El” na yan?

    I believe matagal nyo nang alam yung proposal na ito, so bakit ngayon lang namin naririnig ito?

    Anyways, In other news, tuwang tuwa ang Malacanang sa No El proposal:

    No-El paves way for RP’s First World status by 2025 — GMA

    12/18/2005

    Malacañang yesterday defended the recommendation of the Constitutional Commission (Con-com) to cancel the 2007 national elections and extend by three years the stay of incumbent officials whose terms end in that year.

    It said the recommendation “marks a big step toward the repair of our degenerated political system” and also “signals our big leap toward decentralizing political power, expanding the horizons of economic prosperity and gaining First World status in 20 years.”

    Under the proposal, which already tinkers with the 1987 Constitution without first formalizing a shift to the parliamentary system, the same officials will serve in the transition parliament, with President Arroyo still at the helm of the government.

    The administration, at the same time, called as unfair accusations by the opposition that the Chief Executive had bribed lawmakers and local government executives into supporting the Con-com’s recommendation.

    “That is an unfair comment…the (51-member) Con-com is composed of experts, known leaders of their professions, known for their respective skills. They decide on matters that they believe are right and good for our country. I think we have to give them the benefit of the doubt on all the provisions they have debated,” Press Secretary and concurrent presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye told a radio interview over RMN-dzXL.

    As for me naman, I believe “trial balloon” yang “No El” proposal na yan. I don’t believe it’s serious, and it is meant to make some of the Cha-cha appointees of Arroyo “less stooge-like”.

    Meaning, they get to “dissent” and show their “independence” from Mrs. Arroyo, and the administration and it’s allies will eventually “back down” from their “NO EL” proposal. I believe this is what will happen because nobody (and certainly not the public) is dumb enough to accept that “No El” ek ek ni GMA at Jose Abueva.

    At since yan ang isa sa mga main complaints ng opposition, by removing that “no el” proposal (which they were never seriously considering in the first place), sasabihin ng administration na “O yan, may election na sa 2007. O timigil na kayo.”

    But like I said before:

    Beware, beware of the lying cheater/thief and her stooges presenting themselves as “reformers.”

    And even if they eventually withdraw their NO-El proposal (because of strong negative clammor from the opposition), it is already too late because most Filipinos will see this Cha Cha move by Arroyo/JDV/FVR as nothing more than fake reforms meant to distract the public from Gloriagate.

    As for me, I’m not for changing the Constitution. Ever since panahon pa ni Ramos at Erap.

    But EVEN IF I were for it, I want somebody who is credible and with integrity to lead the reforms. The last person I would trust to make changes in the Constitution is Mrs. Arroyo and her appointed stooges like Jarius Bondoc, Alex Magno and Carmen Pedrosa of PHILSTAR. Changing the constitution is not a small matter, and I sense we have another Marcos type situation in our hands with his 1973 Constitution.

  26. Hermie C. Cruz, Amb. (ret.) Hermie C. Cruz, Amb. (ret.)

    If we maintain the present Constitution the worst scenario is GMA goes out just the same in 2010. By proposing cha-cha GMA stays on in office AT LEAST UNTIL 2010, and she can
    continue beyond 2010. The same with the politicians who are
    identified as her stooges. Many of them are in their third
    terms and can stay on only until 2007. By using cha-cha
    they also prolong their terms of office to 2010 and beyond.

    The problem with this approach is the people will see thru
    the facade and recognize what GMA and her supporters are up to. The people will not vote on the merits of the proposed
    cha-cha. No matter how meritorious are the cha cha proposals, the people will most likely reject the same
    if it involves extending the terms of office of the trapos.
    On the other hand, the people may vote for cha cha proposals
    which are not meritorious if it means ending the term of office of GMA and the trapos immediately.

    The issues of the cha cha are , therefore, being obscured
    by the lack of legitimacy of the GMA administration.

  27. A de Brux A de Brux

    Re: Con-Com, etc.

    I don’t know if there’s any similarity between the Philippine and the European Constitution scenari.

    Europe decided to expand the European Union to 25 member nations – from the original 12, ten other nations were allowed to join. Other applicants like Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, etc. are actually waiting on the side to be allowed to join in.

    Europeans were caught flat footed and were actually not prepared for the expansion from the original 12 to 25 but accepted the fait accompli with good grace.

    At the same time, European Union leaders also started paving the way for other countries to join in without properly apprising the citizens on the merits of such a major move nor consulting with them to find out if another expansion was acceptable to Europeans.

    Meanwhile, a European Union Constitution was also being laid on the table. The leaders in Europe had worked at it all by their lonesome selves and one day, they said “Here it is, the Constitution of Europe!”

    By then, Europeans were already agitated. First, there was the expansion to 25 members without consulting them, then another expansion in the making, now here comes a Constitution of which they only had a vague idea.

    Opposition to adopting the said Constitution became loud that national governments were forced to submit the finished Constitution draft to a national referendum.

    In essence, the proposed Constitution for Europe was a good idea; the duration of 2 weeks prior to referendum dates for “educating” the public was not quite sufficient in my opinion but during that time, the public finally “learned” (more or less) that it was a simple chart of governance for Europe (as in Articles of Incorporation of a corporation)! At first glance, there was basically nothing wrong with the document although most Europeans could hardly make tails or head of it because the terms were complicated.

    What European leaders failed to do, and failed miserably they did – was during the drafting of the Constitution, the citizens had not been apprised, told of its contents, EDUCATED the people – they hadn’t seriously discussed with the citizens about it at all! So that when member nations submitted it to the citizens in a referendum – Europeans massively voted “NO!”

    The main reason for the massive rejection is not the political contents of the Constitution per se but the citizens of Europe voted NO in the referendum (like me) because they wanted their leaders to know that European leaders cannot ram such important life mattering decisions in their throats without having properly apprised the citizens of the merits of those decisions at the very least, debated the issues with their constituents, asked them for their own ideas – and more importantly, the leaders should have taken the time to EDUCATE the public about the relevance of a European Constitution before the draft was made.

    In other words, the resounding NO was a way of telling their leaders not to take them, the citizens of Europe, for granted and served as a warning that in future major decisions, no final draft on anything must be adopted without debates, discussions and consultation with the citizens.

    The citizens make up Europe and they elect leaders who are expected to serve them and not the other way around. That’s how they, in Europe, believe the political status should be.

  28. kikoy kikoy

    hello anna d brux, maaaring tama ka sa opinyon mo kay ate glue… sa opinyon ko at sa pag aaral ko sa msgs mo mukhang sobra ang galit o inis mo kay ate glue at di mo napapansin ang ibang players sa pulitika… isipin natin kung si ate glue nga lang kaya ang may hawak o may kontrol sa mga militar at sa PNP o baka may ibang player/s ang mas nakakaimpluwensya sa mga eto kaya di gaanong nag aalburuto ang mga opisyal ng sandatahan at ng pulisya. Bigyan din natin ng pansin ang mga taong nakapaligid kay ate glue, d ba’t mga alagad at kaibigan din ni tabako? nagtatanong lang po ako ate anna de brux… 🙂

  29. A de Brux A de Brux

    Kikoy,

    Hahah!

    Tama ka – hindi dapat kalimutan ang mga ganid sa paligid ni Gloria. Ang ibig kong sabihin ay si Gloria, sa palagay ko, ay hindi puppet ni FVR – siguro kung baligtarin mo, puwede pa.

  30. kikoy kikoy

    history repeating itself…

    1st anti christ – Nap Bonaparte 5’1 or 5’2″ in height
    2nd anti christ – Hitler – 5’1 or 5’2″ in height
    3rd anti christ – ???
    c ate glue kaya ano kaya ang height???

  31. A de Brux A de Brux

    Napoleon Bonaparte, anti-Christ? Who said that? Gloria?

    Gloria is about 4’7 and a half.

  32. Akala ko ba 4’11” si arrovo, mali pala ako, mas mababa pa pala, kaya pala lugmok na tayo, ang ating economy ay pandak rin.Si reyna gloria ay galing pala sa liliput.
    Ang galing nyo Amb. Hermie, A de brux , Karl at Rizalist marami akong nakukuha sa inyong magandang info at kay Ellen. Thanks , binabasa ko mga comment nyo kahit busy palagi.

  33. Karl Karl

    Re : anti christ:napoleon,hitler

    The narrator of “Man who saw tomorrow” called napoleon anti christ…

    per Nostradamus daw

  34. A de Brux A de Brux

    Karl,

    Narrator of what?

    Nostradamus? But he never met Napoleon Buonaparte? Heh!

    Nostradamus? There’s one insipid, Gloria-like, Garci-like, Gonzales-like morron of a “narrator”! Heh!

  35. Tiago Tiago

    a selfserving recommendation by a bunch of biased personalities on a confused political setting run by a master cheater with a gullible husband and a back door ventriloquist and his wooden partner. wow, tayo lang meron nito. one for the books!

  36. batong-buhay batong-buhay

    Kung si Gloria ay ‘puta’ ibig sabihin si Mike A ay ‘puto’ na pag nilanghap mo magiging ‘putong inamoy’

  37. Rosanna Rosanna

    Ellen, in the picture of GMA here holding a copy of the Concom recommendations, her smirk is prominent. She must be thinking, “I’ve put one over all of you.”

  38. myrna myrna

    mahanginan sana ang mukha ni gloria!

    kaso, puro na nga hangin ang nasa utak sige pa rin. marami kasing alipores na nasisilaw sa pera ng bayan na pinapangsuhol niya.

    kawawang juan de la cruz!

  39. Urgie F. from NYC Urgie F. from NYC

    Dapat ipakain sa buaya ang mga taong-satanas na ito. Eh..buaya di puede pala kasi pareho silang buaya na gutom-gutom sa kapangyarihan. Dapat pala ay bitayin sa plaza ng tiwarik at pakainin ng bulate.

  40. kikoy kikoy

    Algebra

    Solving Problem…

    What is X in the Philippine System? If Group A are the rich/influential people and Group B are the politicians supported by the Group C as the AFP and Group D as the PNP over the divided opposition as the Group E less Group F and Group G as the right and left leaning. What will be the result?

    Solution:

    A – Rich/Influential People
    B – Politicians
    C – AFP
    D – PNP
    E – Divided Opposition
    G – Left Leaning
    H – Right Leaning
    X – ?

    (A + B) (C + D)
    X = ——————–
    E – (F + G)

    Answer:

    X = is the People of the Philippines, because we the silent majority are always the losers at the end.

  41. Etnad Etnad

    Tama si Ka Kikoy na dapat tignan din natin kung sino sino ang mga nakapaligid at alalay ni GMA. Kung sila ba ay alipores ni Tabako? Isa na rito si Gen. Ermita, Gen. Reyes at isama mo na rin ang mga General na nakaposisyon ngayon na ang kakapal ng mukha. Dapat sa kanila ay magbigti na, na kahit nasama ang pangalan nila sa kontrobersyal na “Hello Garci”, in-appoint pa rin ni GMA at tinanggap pa nila. Kung sila’y tunay na lalakwe dapat lang nag-resign na sila, pero hindi. Si Esperon ang tapang pa ha, naghahamon pa…kapaaaal talaga. Kasi alam niya na marami sila at suportado sila ng kanilang Ninong (Tabako). Totoo nga ang kasabihan …. Onli in da Philippines (Kawawa naman ang bansa kung sinilangan!!!!!)

  42. Etnad Etnad

    Kawawa talaga ang mga Pinoy (Siyempre kasama ako)….. Hawak lang ng ilang taong mapagsamantala ang kanilang bansang ginagalawan. Kahit pa palitan nila ang Gobyerno kung sila sila rin lang naman ang magpapatakbo, wahhhhuhuhuhu ganoon pa din. Diyos natin, Patawarin mo po sila at di nila alam ang kanilang ginagawa!!!!!!!

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