Heritage Foundation: Crisis in the Philippines

I think the Heritage Foundation's Dana Dillon is making A HUGE MISTAKE in pushing for Charter Change as #1 solution for GLORIAGATE. Hindi ba yan rin ang tinutulak ni Fidel Ramos? LOL.

The good news is that the scandal has forced both the Philippine Congress and the President to begin the process of reforming the Philippine constitution. President Arroyo’s July 25 State of –the Nation address is expected to call for a constitutional convention. It’s about time. The post-Marcos constitution is overly detailed and includes numerous restrictions that retard economic development. Furthermore, it established an election process that created a disincentive for Senate lawmakers to participate in the legislative process.

Expectations are that the constitution will be modified through a convention or a constituent assembly. The President and the Senate are expected to favor a convention. The House wants a constituent assembly, mostly because it would be cheaper.

Whether Arroyo stays or goes, efforts to encourage economic development and fight the war on terrorism in the Philippines are weakening. The United States has long been devoted to promoting both of these agendas, but Filipinos will view any American involvement in the current political crisis as meddling. Therefore, U.S. efforts to help should advance the process without crossing the boundaries of Philippine sovereignty, responsibility, and leadership:

• Statements from Washington should be measured expressions of support for the Philippine people, constitutional processes, and the rule of law and should avoid any appearance of partisanship;


• If requested, assistance should be in the form of commissions or delegations of constitutional scholars, Philippine experts, and former U.S. lawmakers to assist with constitutional reform; and


• If requested, and considered appropriate, financial assistance should be restricted to the administration of the convention.

I'm telling the U.S. adminstration this early, you don't want to be seen siding with Ramos or Arroyo when she makes Charter Change one of her top priorities to divert people's attention from the Gloriagate scandal. I'm pretty sure the Bush administration doesn't want to be seen propping up a bogus administration over the Filipino people.

And it's interesting that two out the three suggestions on Mr. Dillon talking points involve "charter change" or funding for the Constitutional Convention. LOL. Man, how out of touch are you re the Philippine situation to insist on that as a priority. Please don't tell me you've been talking to Fidel Ramos lately, cuz yan ang sasabihin nya sa iyo. And of course the Arroyo administration will "request" for assistance on charter change. That's part of their plan to buy time.Hope the Bush admin doesn't mishandle the RP crisis by following Dillon's advice.

You want to take the side of the Filipino people? You want to express your support for them? Then tell the truth re Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and re the way she stole the 2004 presidential elections. Then call for new credible elections to replace Arroyo.

As far as I'm concerned, removing the fake president is the number one priority. Any discussions on Charter Change should only be done after Arroyo leaves office and we have a new legit president, PERIOD.

(I may not be for changing the constitution myself, but even if I am -- would I trust this fake president Arroyo or Ramos to engineer the change? HELL NO!!!)

Anyway, it got me wondering why the Heritage Foundation is resigned to an Arroyo presidency, at ito ang nabasa ko.

Despite these concerns, however, there seems little chance Arroyo will be successfully impeached. Political observers believe that Arroyo supporters in the House have sufficient strength to block an impeachment. Although her popularity has hit rock bottom, and is the lowest of any Philippine president ever, her detractors are not taking to the streets to oust her through public protests in the same numbers as they did for Marcos in 1986 or her predecessor, Estrada, in 2001.

Let me make this clear -- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is a goner. Whether by resignation, by impeachment or another "people power" (ala Ukraine's Orange Revolution, which led to new elections), her days are numbered. And no friggin way will the Filipino people accept Charter Change as a solution for Gloriagate. They are not that dumb to swallow Ramos' fake medicine.

I thought the Bush administration has moved away from the policy of supporting corrupt and illegitimate administrations for "stability" reasons? Are we back to the old Scowcroftian "realist" vision instead of Bush's neocon policy on freedom, democracy and credible elections (read Bush's comments on the bogus elections in Iran and his support for the Iranian people over the mullahs).

Here's more from Malaya on the same article.