Here's an official press release from the camp of Chito Castillo, member of the 1971 Constitutional Convention
Former ConCon delegate lambasts ConAssSCHEMING, DECEITFUL, SHAMEFUL is how Natalio “Chito” Castillo Jr., former delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention (ConCon), describes the act of Congress whose members loyal to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved last week in record time a resolution pushing for a constituent assembly (ConAss) that will amend the 1987 constitution.
The move to change the fundamental law of the land was included in Arroyo’s campaign platform during the 2004 elections and was considered as a high priority. Immediately after her victory the president issued Executive Order No. 453 creating a consultative commission whose task was to propose the "necessary" revisions on the charter.
After about a year of consultations, the commission came up with proposals that included, among others, a shift to a unicameral parliamentary form of government. This has been met with storms of protest from various sectors. As a matter of record, then Speaker Jose de Venecia, alarmed by the enormity of such public outrage, announced in Malacañang that the House of Representatives will no longer pursue ChaCha.
Subsequent turn of events, however, prove that the much abhorred ChaCha is not dead. It has been resurrected by scheming members of Congress whose terms of office will end in 2010. Majority of the Filipinos, however, are opposed to any amendment of the constitution claiming that these cunning legislators connived for the passing of the ConAss resolution.
Having similar sentiment as that of countless Arroyo critics, Castillo warns that in countries where a unicameral parliamentary system is adopted there are no term limits of elected officials. Thus, what he describes as the indecent haste by which the president’s minions passed House Resolution 1109 last Tuesday will pave the way for Charter Change (ChaCha) the primary aim of which is to lift the term limits of incumbent officials, specifically that of the president.
The feisty defender of the constitution condemns the insistence of the officials of the Arroyo administration to push for ChaCha. “They do everything in their power to maliciously and immorally extend their positions in government,” he states.
Arroyo has visited her district in Pampanga at least 16 times since January of this year to, according to her critics, ensure her election in 2010 as assemblyman under the amended constitution and to be elected as prime minister by her bootlickers in Parliament. Castillo views this as a ploy that will allow her to remain in control of the reins of government and continue to evade prosecution for the reported scams hounding her administration.
Passing the ConAss resolution in just one day and half-a-night is, according to Castillo, an insult to the intellect of the majority of Filipinos who strongly believe that a ready-made version of a new constitution is, at any time, ready to be shoved to the public in a plebiscite before the scheduled 2010 elections.
“Why force the issue?” Castillo remarked, citing that past and current surveys reveal that a good three-fourths of the Filipinos are against changing the constitution.
As regards economic development, the former ConCon delegate asserts that ChaCha will not immediately nor for the next ten to 15 years eradicate poverty and hunger which most of our brother Filipinos are mired in today. According to him, amending the constitution will not build 40,000 school buildings nor generate enough jobs for the burgeoning number of unemployed college graduates. Above all, it will not give dignity back to the long-abandoned farmers and fisherfolks.
Castillo then appeals to the three congressmen of Bohol to convince Arroyo, just this once and for the higher interest of the majority of the Filipino people, to reconsider the very unpopular move that is ChaCha.
“Our representatives in Congress should persuade their president to leave ChaCha to the next administration and abandon this road to perdition or they themselves will face the wrath of an angry constituency,” he stresses.
A son of Natalio Sr., former congressman and executive secretary of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Castillo also appeals to all Boholanos to stand up and be counted at this point in time more than ever in the past to stop the president and her political allies from “gang-raping” the constitution after having filched the national coffers through their reported scams and shady deals.
“We should not forever be deceived and muted like clowns seemingly enjoying the mockery done to our revered constitution,” Castillo advises his “paisanos”.
Lastly, the former ConCon delegate calls on every Boholano to pray for his country that it be spared from a dreadful catastrophe should the present leadership insists on the folly to extend the terms in office of elected government officials.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=20489.0