Bishop calls for all out protest

Bishop calls for all-out protest rally Daily Tribune 12/21/06 BY GERARD ANTHONY NAVAL Amid efforts by the administration to revive moves to amend the Constitution, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz yesterday called for an all-out protest rally instead of a prayer rally by anti-Charter change forces. Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the mass action should be unrestrained in allowing expressions of outrage against the administration, unlike the CBCP-initiated gathering last Sunday which was purely a prayer gathering, "If you ask me, let’s hold another rally but this time let’s drop the tag of a ‘prayer rally’ and call it an all-out protest rally," Cruz said in a radio interview. "Everyone against Cha-cha would befree to come, free to bring their banners, and free to air their grievances. No more restrictions. There were too many of those in last Sunday’s rally". The Sunday rally at the Quirino Grandstand barred political speeches and streamers. Only those who were part of the celebration of Mass were allowed to go up the stage. The CBCP-led rally was originally called to protest moves by allies of President Arroyo at the House to railroad amendments to the Constitution. It was converted into a prayer rally after House leaders dropped the Constituent Assembly mode of amending the Charter. The House move was followed by Arroyo’s statement that it might not be the time to amend the Charter. A day after the prayer rally that failed to gather the expected 500,000 participants, Palace officials said Arroyo has not dropped Cha-cha. On Tuesday, Arroyo said her administration will continue pursuing political reforms through Cha-cha to ensure a better future for the country. She said Charter change is a reality that the country, including its leaders, must face and accept. Cruz, in a statement, said: "True to its well-established unpredictable mentation if not downright deceitful disposition, the present national leadership is once again avidly pursuing Charter change after having decidedly shelved it but some days ago." Cruz said the government’s turnaround is a rallying point to protest the deceit and obsession of Arroyo and her allies. "Now it is clear what this administration wants. It wants a shift to a parliamentary system to prevent impeachment and to extend terms of elected officials. Now that the administration has made clear its interests, the people will likely seethe and protest vigorously," he said.
DANGEROUS LEADERSHIP Cruz said he is planning to bring the idea of a protest rally to Church officials, to include opposition to a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) under the Arroyo administration. The CBCP stand is that if ever there is a need to amend the Charter, its should be through a Con-Con. "A Constitutional Convention under this administration is dangerous. This administration has shown it is willing to interfere in all stages of a Con-Con, from the election of delegates to the plebiscite. It is hell-bent on pushing its interest. This is a very dangerous leadership," Cruz said. He said there is a "big danger" if the administration is allowed to "satisfy its obsession" to change the Constitution during its tenure. "Changing the fundamental law of the land is not the problem. The problem is the holder of the highest office in the land, fixated with making the change," he said.
OBVIOUS REASONS Cruz said if a Con-Con is convened during the Arroyo leadership, it is almost certain that that government will intervene in the process to protect its "super egoistic interests" through "the power it flaunts, the public wealth at its devious disposal and the insidious influence it wields." "It can be readily predicted that among other constitutional changes, the ruling national leadership will resolutely and strongly push for the adoption of a parliamentary form of government. The reason is obvious: First, it would do away with even pending impeachment case. Second, it would be able to extend its rule one way or another. Third, it would manage to hold on to immunity from suits as long as legally possible. How neat!" CONFUSING MESSAGES Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the change in Arroyo’s Cha-cha tone "betrays her unworthiness and her determination to pursue Charter change by hook or by crook as her ultimate political survival strategy." "It is precisely these forked-tongue messages that confuse the people and lead to the further erosion of what is left of the government’s credibility," he added. Pimentel said Arroyo’s flip-flopping only confirms the opposition’s suspicion she was deceiving the people when she declared a few days ago that the move to change the system of government was dead. Pimentel said the administration’s Cha-cha game plan was further made evident by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita’s pronouncement that the campaign to amend the Constitution is likely to resume after the Christmas season. "As the alter ego of the President, Secretary Ermita who has been known for prudence should be the last to roil the political waters even before the dust of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-led prayer rally has yet to settle in the Luneta Park," he said. Senate President Manuel Villar said Arroyo’s renewed call for Cha-cha was only meant to "appease" advocates of constitutional amendments. Villar said: "Alam ng Pangulo ang galit ng bayan dito sa Cha-cha at hindi ako naniniwala na babalewalain ng Pangulo ‘yan… Maaaring iyan ay sinasabi na lamang para mabuhayan ng loob ‘yung mga natitira pang suporta ng Cha-cha." "The people do not want Charter change now. They want the elections in 2007 to push through," he said.
WHAT’S THE RUSH? Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate constitutional amendments committee, said he could not understand why President Arroyo insists on having the Charter revised now when this could wait until after the 2007 elections. "What’s the rush? There’s no rush in changing the Charter. That can wait until after the next elections. She should focus now on helping in the rehabilitation of the Bicol area and other provinces affected by the series of super typhoons that hit our country," he said. He said the "urong-sulong" attitude of the President is creating the wrong impression that she is "fooling the people, believing that she could play games with the public in exchange for her political reforms." The United Opposition called Arroyo an inveterate liar. "The statement of Mrs. Arroyo regarding Charter change reminds all of us that this administration cannot be really trusted to keep its words," said UNO chairman and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay. Binay said Arroyo might have felt emboldened by the turnout at Sunday’s prayer rally but "it would be a great mistake if they think only in terms of quantity." Binay said the right way of gauging the rally is the participation of leading personalities across a broad spectrum, ranging from militant groups, opposition politicians, the middle class and civil society. Binay said Arroyo’s "flip-flopping" could push the country to the brink of a major political crisis. He said her allies could again start gathering signatures for People’s Initiative to amend the Charter after Christmas despite its rejection by the Supreme Court. He said the political uncertainty generated by the President’s statement could bring the people back to the streets. He said reviving last year’s mass action is one option being considered by the opposition to dramatize their protest against efforts to revive Charter change. – With JP Lopez and Ashzel Hachero
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