The drumbeat for amending the Philippine Constitution is again sounding louder and louder. As Gloria Arroyo’s term nears its almost inevitable end, the sense of panic of what is to befall her and her minions in a post-Arroyo era envelops the government. And as this sense of panic grows, the search for a stop-gap measure to avoid possible retaliation from her opponents in the form of legal prosecution becomes the order of the day.
Regardless of the type of spin that the government employs on who wants what, the hand of the administration in this effort could not be any clearer. In a momentary lapse of judgement, or an intentional testing of the waters came about when Press Secretary Jesus Dureza prayed for Arroyo’s term “by 2010 and beyond”. While the prayer was excused as a mere joke, the administration’s real intent is by no means a secret to anyone. Year after year, Arroyo’s allies in the Lower House have tried, and consistently failed, to change the constitution. From De Venecia to Nograles, the imprint of using the convening of a Constitutional Convention or a Constituent Assembly to extend their own terms and more importantly, that of Arroyo’s is never more glaring. Previous administrations have also used the precept of constitutional change to remain in office, but this is particularly more objectionable to the public due to valid questions on the administration’s legitimacy. The voice of Arroyo on the “hello garci” tapes still haunts the public until now. Besides, who would want to extend a government’s life when it should not have existed in the first place? The degree by which the public has and would continue to demonstrate its unequivocal opposition to such moves would again unravel in the next few weeks. The administration’s lack of time before the May 2010 elections and the wannabe presidents’ own agenda would undoubtedly clash either in the streets or in the halls of Congress. Or both. Arroyo’s sense of urgency is quite undeniable.
While the predominant view in political circles is that there is indeed a need to change to country’s form of government to a federal type with the question on the parliamentary type remaining more debatable, the danger of using the constitutional forum to further their own interests looms so large in the public’s consciousness. The President’s credibility problem is so bad that on this basis alone as shown in survey after survey that constitutional change has almost no chance to succeed. The country’s vastly diverse regions, both in cultural and political sense, give the argument for a federal type of government a lot of weight. This path likewise makes the issue of autonomy for Muslim Mindanao almost moot and academic. The country’s extremely expensive presidential election requires a very redundant national campaign for the candidates actually also lend validity for a parliamentary form. Prime Ministers are elected into office within parliament and require no national campaign, hence vastly reducing the cost of becoming Chief Executive. But opponents of the parliamentary form cite the country’s turncoat culture and the perceived corruption among those who would be given a hand in selecting the country’s leader. Because constitutional change is always held hostage by the administration’s obvious selfish designs, the merits of these proposals become secondary. Just the thought of Arroyo changing titles from President to Prime Minister after 2010 is such a nightmare for a lot of people.
Despite Arroyo’s strong desire to remain in office, time is still her biggest obstacle. Already, the race for to become their party’s standard bearer are in full swing. Even with the appropriately named Lower House’s best efforts to disregard the less cooperative Senate despite the latter’s change of leadership, the prospect looks dim for any real movement towards their goal. With a Senate that leans heavily to the opposition, the House would most likely attempt to go at it alone through some constitutional or legal maneuvering. But the clear need for the Senate’s approval on any move to amend the constitution spells doom for congressmen and Arroyo’s political and legal future.
In all these intramurals, however, the more important factor of the people’s disdain for the status quo and their desire for it to come to pass as quickly as possible should never be ignored. This is the dead end that they know will one day come their way. And then the country moves on, for better or for worse.
No comments:
Post a Comment