6-14-06, 8:49 am
Dubbed as Charter Change or 'Cha-Cha,' this campaign of the Arroyo regime has two (2) main purposes: (1) To divert the people's attention away from the burning issue of the illegitimacy of the Arroyo regime due to widespread fraud during the May 2004 election ; and (2) To shore-up imperialist support for Arroyo, considering that included among the Arroyo proposals is the removal from the Constitution of all remaining patriotic provisions (those ensuring a certain degree of Filipino control over our natural resources and certain critical areas of investment).
Regarding her first purpose, Arroyo would like to divert the people's attention away from the main issue of her fraudulent election, as well as from the related issues involving monumental graft scandals directly attributable to Arroyo, such as the following:
[1] The squander of billions of pesos, during the 2004 electoral campaign period, in order to bribe those pliant congressional and local officials (with funds distributed to allegedly buy liquid fertilizers which never reached the farmers) ;
[2] Arroyo's giving of direct orders to Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of the Commission on Elections, during the vote tallying period, to manipulate election results in order to bloat the number of her votes (as recorded in what have become known as the 'Hello, Garci' tapes) ;
[3] The intimidation of local electoral officials in some parts of the country, particularly in Mindanao, during the vote tallying period, by pro-Arroyo military officers (officers who were immediately promoted after the election);
[4] The bribing of some Sharia (Islamic) Court officials in the Autonomous Region of Moslem Mindanao in order to manipulate local tally sheets ;
[5] The switching of electoral returns at the House of Representatives ;
[6] The bribing (with 'pork barrels' and other perks) of many members of the House of Representatives in order to prevent the passage of the impeachment motion against Arroyo ;
[7] The issuance of an unconstitutional order (Executive Order No. 464) to prevent officials of the executive branch from testifying in any Senate investigation on the above issues;
[8] Arroyo's order preventing the disclosure of investigation reports of government agencies on cases involving her electoral hoax; and
[9] Arroyo's unconstitutional order for police and military forces to apply the so-called 'Calibrated Pre-emptive Response' or 'CPR' to prevent by force, or to violently disperse, public rallies and demonstrations calling for her resignation or ouster.
Ostensibly, Arroyo's main rationale for 'Cha-Cha' is the alleged need for a shift to a unicameral parliamentary system. This shift would abolish the Senate, many of whose members are frustrated by Arroyo's order (Executive Order No. 464) preventing officials of the executive branch from appearing in any Senate investigation. In this 'Cha-Cha' campaign, the support of the more corrupt majority in the House of Representatives is being enticed through 'pork barrel' budget allocations. The support of the more corrupt majority of local officials for the 'People's Cha-Cha Initiative' (i.e., local signature campaigns) is also being enjoined through promises of higher budget allocations for local projects of pliant officials.
Regarding her second purpose for Charter Change, Arroyo would like to preempt the current US search for a new caretaker for imperialist interests in the Philippines. Arroyo is aware that the nationwide protests against her electoral power grab in 2004 has turned her into a liability for her imperialist masters. Herself being the beneficiary of a US-supported coup d'etat in 2001, she knows that a coup (usually dubbed here as 'people power') against her will succeed once US imperialism finds and anoints a more useful puppet to replace her. By campaigning for 'Cha-Cha' and proposing constitutional amendments which will do away with all patriotic and socially-oriented policies in the present (1987) Philippine Constitution, Arroyo is trying to impress the US imperialists that she is still their best bet to run the country (until at least the end of the presidential term by 2010). Never mind the palpable implication, from Arroyo's batting for a shift to a unicameral parliament, that the US system of government imposed since colonial times is a failure in the Philippines. What could be more appetizing to the imperialists is the complete opening up of the whole Philippine economy and patrimony to imperialist penetration and exploitation.
It is no wonder that Arroyo, through her National Security Adviser (the clerico-fascist and rabid anti-communist, Norberto Gonzales), unconstitutionally contracted the services of a US lobbying firm (Venable LLD), and committed the payment of millions of dollars to this influence-peddling company which will lobby (i.e., bribe the way and propagandize) just to get US backing as well a financing for Arroyo's 'Cha-Cha' campaign. The role of a US lobby firm, and the overt or covert financing from US imperialist institutions, would spell the end of all remaining protectionist provisions in the Philippine Constitution.
Based on the foregoing, the following organizations which sponsored the Multi-Sectoral Forum on Charter Change hereby pledge to exert every effort to expose and oppose this deceptive campaign of Arroyo. We will not allow this squid tactic of Arroyo to divert the people's attention from the main issue of Arroyo's illegitimate stay in power. We will not allow Arroyo to demolish the few remaining patriotic and socially-oriented provisions of our Constitution. We call upon the broad masses of the Filipino people to reject and frustrate Arroyo's 'Cha-Cha' campaign. Let us all unite to make the forthcoming occasion of Arroyo's 'State-of-the Nation Address', at the opening of the next session of Congress this coming July, as a day of massive mobilization for the ouster of the US-propped Arroyo regime.
NO TO CHARTER CHANGE! NO TO IMPERIALIST IMPOSITIONS! YES TO ARROYO's OUSTER!
Joint Statement issued by:
1. Alyansa ng Mamamayang Naghihirap (ALMANA, the Alliance of the Poor Masses) ; 2. Katipunan ng Bagong Pilipina (KABAPA, the Federation of New Filipina Women) ; 3. Pambansang Tagapag-ugnay ng mga Manggagawa sa Bahay (PATAMABA, the National Coordinating Center for Home Workers and Other Informal Sectors) ; and 4. Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council (PPSC).
