Gloria seen eyeing postof prime minister - Malaya 06.10.2006
SEN. Panfilo Lacson yesterday said President Arroyo is eyeing the post of prime minister once a unicameral government takes shape so she will be immune from an avalanche of charges if and when she steps down in 2010.
Lacson said this is the reason the President’s men are moving heaven and earth to have the Constitution amended to change the presidential system.
Lacson said Arroyo is up for the worst plunder case that could ever be filed against a former president.
“Masahol pa sa plunder ang aabutin niya at napakaraming ebidensiya ang ihaharap laban sa kanya kaya pinag-pupursigehan niya at ng kanyang mga kampon diyan sa Malacañang na mapalitan iyung sistema ng gobyerno para hindi mawala ang immunity,” he said.
Lacson said there is no way for Speaker Jose de Venecia to become prime minister. “Naaawa ako kay Speaker de Venecia. Umaasa siya na kapag nag-parliamentary system tayo, siya ang magpa-prime minister. Malabo siyang maging prime minister kasi tatakbo lamang pagkatapos ng 2010 kung magiging parliamentary, si Gng. Arroyo sa kanyang distrito,” the senator said in a radio interview.
He added: “Hindi ko makita kung papaano maiisip ni Gng. Arroyo na bumaba sa kanyang puwesto even after 2010 kasi kapag nawalan na siya ng immunity, katakot-takot na kaso ang kanyang kakaharapin.”
Lacson said De Venecia could not even aspire for the seat of deputy prime minister “dahil threat naman siya bunsod ng pagkakaroon ng mga tao siya sa existing Congress.”
De Venecia is on his fourth round as Speaker.
He held the post in the 9th and 10th Congress and regained the position in the 12th Congress and the current 13th Congress.
In the spirit of Independence Day, Rep. Douglas Cagas (NPC, Davao del Sur) called on senators to “swallow their personal ambition and thirst for partisan politics in favor of Cha-cha (charter change) and a genuine support for pro-people government programs.”
“Obstructionist senators have gone too far. We cannot blame the people if they are now bolder in pushing for Cha-cha after seeing the dismal failure of the Senate to support them and to do their work as legislators,” he said, referring to the people’s initiative being pushed by the Sigaw ng Bayan movement.
‘CHA-CHA WILL GO ON’
Cagas, a member of the House committee on constitutional reforms, said a majority of his colleagues will push for the adoption of the proposed shift to a unicameral-parliamentary government to ensure that their terms will be extended under a “no-election” scenario next year.
“Cha-cha will go on. Our terms will be extended. That’s the fault of the senators,” he said.
The midterm election is scheduled on May 14, 2007, where P1.8 billion of the P3.2 billion proposed budget of the Commission on Elections would be spent, including poll automation.
Liberal Party congressmen have warned that the “no-el” provision has been restored in the charter draft of the House committee on constitutional amendments and not “trashed” as claimed by the House leadership.
Representatives Nereus Acosta (Bukidnon), Manuel Mamba (Cagayan), Henedina Abad (Batanes), Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite) and Herminigildo Mandanas (Batangas) said this could be seen in the wording of Article 8, Section 1 of the Transitory Provisions.
The section reads: “The unicameral-parliamentary system and the Parliament provided herein shall begin immediately after ratification of these amendments with the present Congress converted into the interim parliament until all members thereof shall become automatic members of the Interim Parliament until June 30, 2007, except for the senators elected in May 2004 who shall serve as members of the Parliament until June 30, 2010. The Interim Parliament shall set the first elections under the new system and synchronize therewith the elections for all local officials except those of the barangay.”
Acosta said that by not setting the date for the first elections, the committee chaired by Rep. Constantino Jaraula “effectively restores the no-el provision in the latest Cha-cha resolution.”
“This resolution is a cause for great concern. What if they set the elections not on May 11, 2007 but sometime in 2010 or beyond?” he said.
House majority leader Prospero Nograles said they would not allow the midterm elections to be cancelled as this would dissolve Congress.
“We will cross the bridge later. But it’s an option for Congress to pass specific budget for elections or else Congress is automatically abolished if there are no elections,” he said.
House minority leader Francis Escudero said Malacañang will show its real color once President Arroyo decides to realign funds in the reenacted P907.6 billion national budget for the elections or not.
“Well, posturing lahat yan dahil kung tutuusin mo, kung talagang desidido ang Presidenteng gawin ‘yan. Puwede naman siyang mag-realign ng pondo para lamang matiyak na magkakaron ng halalan sa 2007 kung matutuloy nga yan,” he said. – Dennis Gadil and Wendell Vigilia
Lacson said this is the reason the President’s men are moving heaven and earth to have the Constitution amended to change the presidential system.
Lacson said Arroyo is up for the worst plunder case that could ever be filed against a former president.
“Masahol pa sa plunder ang aabutin niya at napakaraming ebidensiya ang ihaharap laban sa kanya kaya pinag-pupursigehan niya at ng kanyang mga kampon diyan sa Malacañang na mapalitan iyung sistema ng gobyerno para hindi mawala ang immunity,” he said.
Lacson said there is no way for Speaker Jose de Venecia to become prime minister. “Naaawa ako kay Speaker de Venecia. Umaasa siya na kapag nag-parliamentary system tayo, siya ang magpa-prime minister. Malabo siyang maging prime minister kasi tatakbo lamang pagkatapos ng 2010 kung magiging parliamentary, si Gng. Arroyo sa kanyang distrito,” the senator said in a radio interview.
He added: “Hindi ko makita kung papaano maiisip ni Gng. Arroyo na bumaba sa kanyang puwesto even after 2010 kasi kapag nawalan na siya ng immunity, katakot-takot na kaso ang kanyang kakaharapin.”
Lacson said De Venecia could not even aspire for the seat of deputy prime minister “dahil threat naman siya bunsod ng pagkakaroon ng mga tao siya sa existing Congress.”
De Venecia is on his fourth round as Speaker.
He held the post in the 9th and 10th Congress and regained the position in the 12th Congress and the current 13th Congress.
In the spirit of Independence Day, Rep. Douglas Cagas (NPC, Davao del Sur) called on senators to “swallow their personal ambition and thirst for partisan politics in favor of Cha-cha (charter change) and a genuine support for pro-people government programs.”
“Obstructionist senators have gone too far. We cannot blame the people if they are now bolder in pushing for Cha-cha after seeing the dismal failure of the Senate to support them and to do their work as legislators,” he said, referring to the people’s initiative being pushed by the Sigaw ng Bayan movement.
‘CHA-CHA WILL GO ON’
Cagas, a member of the House committee on constitutional reforms, said a majority of his colleagues will push for the adoption of the proposed shift to a unicameral-parliamentary government to ensure that their terms will be extended under a “no-election” scenario next year.
“Cha-cha will go on. Our terms will be extended. That’s the fault of the senators,” he said.
The midterm election is scheduled on May 14, 2007, where P1.8 billion of the P3.2 billion proposed budget of the Commission on Elections would be spent, including poll automation.
Liberal Party congressmen have warned that the “no-el” provision has been restored in the charter draft of the House committee on constitutional amendments and not “trashed” as claimed by the House leadership.
Representatives Nereus Acosta (Bukidnon), Manuel Mamba (Cagayan), Henedina Abad (Batanes), Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite) and Herminigildo Mandanas (Batangas) said this could be seen in the wording of Article 8, Section 1 of the Transitory Provisions.
The section reads: “The unicameral-parliamentary system and the Parliament provided herein shall begin immediately after ratification of these amendments with the present Congress converted into the interim parliament until all members thereof shall become automatic members of the Interim Parliament until June 30, 2007, except for the senators elected in May 2004 who shall serve as members of the Parliament until June 30, 2010. The Interim Parliament shall set the first elections under the new system and synchronize therewith the elections for all local officials except those of the barangay.”
Acosta said that by not setting the date for the first elections, the committee chaired by Rep. Constantino Jaraula “effectively restores the no-el provision in the latest Cha-cha resolution.”
“This resolution is a cause for great concern. What if they set the elections not on May 11, 2007 but sometime in 2010 or beyond?” he said.
House majority leader Prospero Nograles said they would not allow the midterm elections to be cancelled as this would dissolve Congress.
“We will cross the bridge later. But it’s an option for Congress to pass specific budget for elections or else Congress is automatically abolished if there are no elections,” he said.
House minority leader Francis Escudero said Malacañang will show its real color once President Arroyo decides to realign funds in the reenacted P907.6 billion national budget for the elections or not.
“Well, posturing lahat yan dahil kung tutuusin mo, kung talagang desidido ang Presidenteng gawin ‘yan. Puwede naman siyang mag-realign ng pondo para lamang matiyak na magkakaron ng halalan sa 2007 kung matutuloy nga yan,” he said. – Dennis Gadil and Wendell Vigilia
posted by brodkaster43 at Linggo, Hunyo 11, 2006
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