Insincere offer

No wonder nobody takes her word seriously anymore.

In the Dec 27 Malaya article, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was offering "reconciliation" again with the opposition.

But the following day, Arroyo's Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita pretty much accused the opposition of more "destabilization" tactics in 2006.

A thorny 2006 for the administration was practically admitted yesterday by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who said this early they see the Chief Executive’s critics stepping up their anti-Arroyo tactics....

Ermita said they “know that the political opposition would not stop” in 2006, but “this is expected.”

“The President would still be criticized and who knows what surprises (from the opposition) are (in store for her)? But as far as freedom of speech and expression is concerned, the opposition would still enjoy that because this government adheres to democratic processes,” he added.

Amazing. The administration started badmouthing the opposition just a day after they offered another "reconciliation" deal with them. That was fast.

I remember Arroyo as early as 2001 (immediately after edsa dos) saying na she wants to unite this country raw. But instead of delivering on that promise, she went after the opposition in a vicious and partisan manner.. She tried to humiliate an already beaten Erap, which later backfired on her immensely. She also tried to destroy Lacson via Victor Corpus, and we know how that went too.

And about this "freedom of speech" thing... The opposition is already banned from holding any more anti-Arroyo rallies in the streets without the administration's permission. pwedeng mag parade para sa mga beauty queens at boxing champs sa kalsada, pero bawal mag-hold ng malalaking rallies laban sa adminstration.

And with the internet censorship bill in the pipeline (crafted by administration senators), mas lalo pang mababawasan ang freedom of speech natin. The PCIJ already got a taste of this of what the admin is capable of a few months ago.

More: This is interesting.

While the focus of the criticisms on the Consultative Commission (Con-com) proposed Charter changes is on the no presidential term cut and no elections in 2007, an even more authoritarian regime to be headed by President Arroyo has been envisioned by the Jose Abueva led-Con-com, as it curtailed the freedoms of the Filipino people by subtly altering the Bill of Rights on the freedoms of speech, the press and the right of peaceful assembly to seek redress of government grievances.

The Bill of Rights, as stated in the 1987 Constitution says: “No law shall be passed abrid-ging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peace-ably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

But in the Abueva Con-com Bill of Rights, it is stated that “No law shall be passed abridging the responsible exercise of the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

This proviso effectively curtails the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, as the freedoms are now defined by the modifier “responsible exercise” of the guaranteed freedoms, or a clear subversion of the rights of the citizens against government abuse.

Will I be arrested for calling for Arroyo a crook and a fake president? Will I be arrested for calling for the fake president's ouster via people power?

Based on the administration's tendency to call Arroyo's critics "destabilizers", should I worry about this?