Villafuerte’s resolution was “deceptive” when it vowed that the process would not:
- extend the terms of office of the President and the Vice President;
- the terms of other elective officials will not be extended;
- the terms of office of the 12 senators who were elected in 2007 for a six-year term ending in 2013 shall not be shortened and they shall be allowed to finish their terms; and
- that there shall be elections.
Of course, under the Kampi plan to install President Arroyo as prime minister after the 2010, all those four conditions will mean nothing. It is all a grand deception plan designed to install President Arroyo as prime minister even after the holding of the 2010 elections. This deceptive plan will pave the way for a Gloria Forever Constitution.
I agree with the statement of former Speaker Jose de Venecia that President Arroyo is the prime mover behind the plan to amend the 1987 Constitution and shift the form of government from presidential to parliamentary.
There have been persistent reports that during the birthday party of Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, neophyte Congressmen were asked to sign the Villafuerte resolution in the presence of the President herself. Sometime during the last quarter of 2008, President Arroyo was also reported to have told a meeting of Senators in Malacanang that Charter Change must be implemented soon. The President was quoted to have said “kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa.”
Recall that I earlier called for vigilance against moves by the allies of the Arroyo government to carry out Charter changes through a constituent assembly minus the Senate. The move is illegal and unconstitutional and should be condemned by the public. Doing Charter Change at this time would only exacerbate present political instability and uncertainty.
Read more on Drilon news today:
Cha-Cha to install Arroyo as PM after 2010
