WILL CHARTER CHANGE DERAIL 2010 ELECTIONS?
10:19 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Filed Under: Charter change, Politics, Elections, Constitution, Eleksyon 2010
Despite the many scandals plaguing the administration, I think our people are not outraged enough to jam our streets and plazas a la EDSA People Power 1 and II. Much less are they ready to support military adventures to topple the government. Instead, recent polls show that Filipinos are looking forward to the May 2010 elections as the grand opportunity to change our leaders and to revitalize the nation. However, schemes and plots to alter the Constitution persist. Angry readers ask: Will these plots derail the 2010 presidential election?Artemio V. Panganiban
The process of amending or revising the 1987 constitution of the Philippines is recently known to many Filipinos as Charter Change. The anti-charter change forces threatened massive protests on the political process that could lead to a plebiscite on the charter change issue. Any proposed amendment or revision to the 1987 Constitution shall only be valid when ratified by the majority of Filipinos in a plebiscite. This is an ongoing current event, with massive rallys and protests, affect every Filipino domestically and globally. Charter change in the Philippines is a very controversial event, for the last time the constitution was appended, it led to the prolonging of the term of President Marcos and eventually,
The Constitution mandates the Commission on Elections to call a plebiscite to ratify the amendments within 60 to 90 days from their approval. Considering that Congress will resume sessions only on April 13 and that the filing of certificates of candidacies for the 2010 elections had been advanced to November, barely six months are left to have the Villafuerte resolution (1) deliberated and approved by at least 196 votes in the House; (2) heard and decided in the Supreme Court; and (3) voted and ratified by the people in a plebiscite.
The people’s aversion to any Charter change at this time, as well as to the parliamentary system and to term extensions under any guise. They want to elect their president, not members of parliament. Expect massive demos and incessant protests. Forcing the Cha-cha now could be the tipping point.
0 comments:
Post a Comment