INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

'No term extension'--Nograles

INQUIRER.net

Lira Dalangin-Fernandez

MANILA, Philippines -- The howl being raised against House Resolution 1109 as the vehicle that would perpetuate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in power or postpone elections next year has no basis, Speaker Prospero Nograles said.

The political opposition, senators, civil society groups, multi-sectoral organizations and even the Catholic Church and other religious groups have expressed outrage over the swift passage in the House of Representatives of the resolution that would convene Congress into a constituent assembly and amend the 1987 Constitution and possibly extend the President's term of office.

To this, Nograles's reply was curt: "[They have] my word. No term extension during my watch. What else can I say?"

Asked if the constituent assembly initiative could result in the election next year for members of parliament, he said the scenario was not likely because all things were now geared towards the May 2010 presidential election.

"Automation is for the presidential elections.. I thought media is covering that very closely. How can you say parliament when the preparations are for presidential. It's like inviting people to lunch and serving them breakfast food," he said in a text message.

Paranaque Representative Roilo Golez, who voted against the resolution, said HOUR 1109 "reached a dead end on birth."

"With the Senate against it, nothing will move," he said in a separate text message.

"When the House approved HR 1109, it's like sending HR 1109 to outer space there to orbit for eternity never to return to earth," he added.

Even if the House convenes itself as a constituent assembly, he said members of the minority would most likely boycott it.

"We would not want to be associated with a sham session," Golez said.

According to Golez, even if the consituent assembly produces proposed amendments, they would still have to be submitted to a plebiscite.

"A law with accompanying appropriation is required for a plebiscite to be conducted by the Comelec (Commission on Elections). Without a law, the Comelec cannot act. And that law requires Senate approval which it will never get. So it's back to square one," the Paranaque congressman explained.

Representative Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna partylist, meanwhile, welcomed the initiative of Jesus Is Lord Movement head Brother Eddie Villanueva.

"It shows that the broad national protest movement against Gloria's Cha-cha is gaining more adherents," he said.

Villanueva had warned that his group would mobilize millions of people if the Charter change initiative continued.

Ocampo said his group was working with all groups opposed to Charter change and the constituent assembly to revive the powerful mass movement that stopped Cha-cha initiatives in 1996 and 1997 during the Ramos administration and in 2006.

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