Hi... You look familiar.
http://pcij.org/stories/2006/charter3.html
THE PCIJ has just finished a three-part series that looks at the uncanny similarities in the manner in which Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have attempted to change the constitutions prevailing during their incumbency.
The series was written by Raissa Espinosa-Robles who, in 1984, wrote a 14-part series on the Marcos constitution for Business Day. Raissa dug up her files again and found transcripts, interviews and speeches that attest to how similar the current situation is to 1971-73, when Marcos managed to ram through a new constitution.
This series compares historical material and transcripts of recent discussions in the Consultative Commission (ConCom) and found the following similarities:
* Both the 1973 charter and the one currently being proposed were seen primarily as attempts to save an embattled president and keep that president in power by changing the form of government.
* In both, there were sweeteners. In 1972, Marcos offered ConCon delegates who approved the constitution membership in a new National Assembly. In 2006, local officials and congressmen were offered a "no-election" scenario in exchange for their support for the charter.
* Both the 1973 charter and the proposed one give the president extraordinary powers not in the preceding constitutions. These extraordinary powers are to be exercised during a "transition period"
where the incumbent president assumes the combined powers of president and prime minister.
* Both the 1971 ConCon and 2006 ConCom proceedings were marked by last-minute provisions and secret dealmaking with Malacañang. Those who are pushing for charter change now are also the same ones who cooperated with Marcos more than 30 years ago: Jose de Venecia, Jose Abueva, Gilberto Duavit, Alfredo Abueg, Pedro Romualdo and Gerardo Espina Sr.
* The 1973 constitution was ratified by hurriedly convened and questionable "citizens' assemblies," similar to the ones recently called to certify the people's initiative for charter change.
Read on at http://pcij.org and post your comments at http://pcij.org/blog/.
(Transcripts of the Concom's plenary sessions and minutes of the committee meetings are also available at the PCIJ site.)
THE PCIJ has just finished a three-part series that looks at the uncanny similarities in the manner in which Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have attempted to change the constitutions prevailing during their incumbency.
The series was written by Raissa Espinosa-Robles who, in 1984, wrote a 14-part series on the Marcos constitution for Business Day. Raissa dug up her files again and found transcripts, interviews and speeches that attest to how similar the current situation is to 1971-73, when Marcos managed to ram through a new constitution.
This series compares historical material and transcripts of recent discussions in the Consultative Commission (ConCom) and found the following similarities:
* Both the 1973 charter and the one currently being proposed were seen primarily as attempts to save an embattled president and keep that president in power by changing the form of government.
* In both, there were sweeteners. In 1972, Marcos offered ConCon delegates who approved the constitution membership in a new National Assembly. In 2006, local officials and congressmen were offered a "no-election" scenario in exchange for their support for the charter.
* Both the 1973 charter and the proposed one give the president extraordinary powers not in the preceding constitutions. These extraordinary powers are to be exercised during a "transition period"
where the incumbent president assumes the combined powers of president and prime minister.
* Both the 1971 ConCon and 2006 ConCom proceedings were marked by last-minute provisions and secret dealmaking with Malacañang. Those who are pushing for charter change now are also the same ones who cooperated with Marcos more than 30 years ago: Jose de Venecia, Jose Abueva, Gilberto Duavit, Alfredo Abueg, Pedro Romualdo and Gerardo Espina Sr.
* The 1973 constitution was ratified by hurriedly convened and questionable "citizens' assemblies," similar to the ones recently called to certify the people's initiative for charter change.
Read on at http://pcij.org and post your comments at http://pcij.org/blog/.
(Transcripts of the Concom's plenary sessions and minutes of the committee meetings are also available at the PCIJ site.)
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