How the SC Should Decide on PI, IMO
In a comment that I had posted in the Dean’s blog entry, here’s my take on amendment and revision:
I agree with the Dean that in between Con-Ass and PI, the SC will probably side with PI.
Now with regards to amendments and revisions – the US Constitution was amended several times, but there was never a fundamental change in the form of government nor the way the US is governed (except that it safeguarded the rights of its citizens).
The words REVISE and AMEND are synonyms. I like these definitions (taken from Answers.com):
Amend – To prepare a new version of.
Revise – To prepare a new version of.
Those two are based on Answers.com’s take from the thesaurus provided by Houghton Mifflin Company.
The distinction, for me, is this:
If the changes made to the Constitution will greatly affect the way things are done or the country is governed, these are REVISIONS.
If the changes made are corrective in nature, additions to the provisions, and in the whole will not be drastic in nature, these are AMENDMENTS.
And hopefully the SC will see it that way too. The Sigaw PI should never see the light of day. It is never the initiative of the people.
Cayetano v. Arroyo – Proxy Battle for 2007?
In Schumey’s blog post for today, I commented:
Forum shopping! Forum shopping!
But wait! Maybe it was a trap! Maybe the fools called Arroyos fell into a well-conceived trap!
Now Cayetano has two possible fora to present his “evidence”. Strike the Ethics Committee and the entire House of Reprehensibles out. It will just railroad the process as we had seen the Bastusang Pambansa did three times in two years.
Now, about the libel case. I am also pessimistic about it. Remember Jinggoy’s libel case that was slapped by Mike Arroyo? The judge in that case ISSUED A FREAKING WARRANT OF ARREST! Congress is in session, and the judge dared having a senator arrested! For libel! Either that judge is STUPID, or that judge is friendly to Arroyo (that’s saying it nicely, I could have said “paid by Arroyo”).
Now, I will not be surprised if an arrest warrant is also issued against Cayetano. And De Venecia will probably never do a Villar.
The House is probably afraid of 2007. Probably not. They can always do a Garci, comelecAko notwithstanding.
And I will not be surprised if after May 2007, we will see the same idiots in the Bastusang Pambansa.
Strong Republic That Never Was
Today’s Inquirer headline speaks about three murders yesterday. But there’s more to that.
Remember the Strong Republic gimmick? Back when Gloria Arroyo was almost booted out of the Fortress by the Pasig, she tried to show that she had everything in control. Her Propaganda Department led by Herr Toting Bunye even produced a video showing how a wide spectrum of society (from the left to the right to the middle) conspired to overthrow Arroyo. She paraded every supporter that she could get just to show who’s in power.
That Strong Republic was belied by a systemic failure in protecting the citizens of this country. Imagine: “317th activist among 748 civilians killed since 2001 by suspected security forces”, as Inquirer reported. That doesn’t include citizens killed by random acts of violence and crime. You call that a Strong Republic, Herr Bunye? Or maybe it is an undeclared State Policy, Herr Bunye?
At least, Hitler and Goebbels were honest to state their intentions, no? What about your leader, Herr Bunye?
It also shows that Gloria Arroyo, CEO of the Strong Republic, has failed in the fulfillment of her duties. She has failed the stockholders who appointed her – the citizens who voted for her. Or was she elected at all?
If she cannot protect the citizens, she has failed in her duty. She has betrayed the trust of the people. Her minions in the House of Reprehensibles cannot see that.
An Opposition Senate in the Offing – Not?
The reasons for all the efforts to amend/revise the Charter, either via PI or Con-Ass (the era of Macapagal-Arroyo is really into funny acronyms), is to ensure that Arroyo remains in the Fortress until (at least) 2010, if not forever. The current Con-Ass/PI is custom-tailored to (1) ensure that a pro-Gloria proxy will be Prime Minister after her; (2) ensure that her allies in the House of Reprehensibles and in the gullible LGUs remain in the posts; and (3) to prevent an opposition-led Senate.
It is important for her that her allies remain in the House; it is important to prevent an opposition shutout of her candidates in the 2007 senatorial elections. Failure in both cases will ensure that she will be booted out of the Fortress by the Pasig.
In a blog post, John Nery highlighted a Pulse Asia survey on Pinoy’s senatorial preferences. The results had probably scared Arroyo so much. I would have been.
Currently, the following individuals end up within the winning circle of 12 senators: (1) former Senator Legarda (48.6%); (2) Senator Francis N. Pangilinan (39.0%); (3) Senator Panfilo M. Lacson (34.9%); (4) Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr. (34.2%); (5) Senator Ralph G. Recto (33.1%); (6) former Senator Vicente C. Sotto III (31.0%); (7) Atty. Aquilino Pimentel III (29.9%); (8) Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter S. Cayetano (29.5%); (9) former Senator Greogorio B. Honasan (27.7%); (10) San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito-Estrada (23.8%); (11) Ilocos Norte Representative Imee R. Marcos (23.1%); and (12) former Senator John Henry Osmeña (22.7%).
Given the survey’s margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points, the following probable senatorial candidates also have a statistical chance of winning: (1) Tarlac Representative Benigno C. Aquino III (21.8%); (2) Senator Luisa P. Estrada (21.7%); (3) Senator Joker P. Arroyo (21.0%); (4) Senator Edgardo J. Angara (20.9%); (5) House Minority Floor Leader Francis G. Escudero (20.2%); (6) former Senator Francisco S. Tatad (18.9%); (7) Presidential Chief of Staff Michael T. Defensor (18.7%); and (8) Muntinlupa Representative Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon (18.5%).
No wonder Gloria and her henchmen wanted the Senate abolished so badly.