Gloria set to dump Con-Ass
Fears gathering storm of widespread protests
BY ELLEN TORDESILLAS
PRESIDENT Arroyo will dump the Constituent Assembly that the House of Representatives will be holding next week without the participation of the Senate, a Malacañang source said yesterday.
The source said the President was worried the storm that is being whipped up by the House initiative could lead to a renewed campaign against her administration, this time joined by the Church and other forces that were behind Edsa 1 and Edsa 2.
The source said Arroyo’s worry was heightened upon learning that the Iglesia ni Cristo would also be issuing a statement against the Senate-less Con-Ass that was "railroaded" by the majority in the House early Thursday morning. INC would complete the powerful religious sector that is opposing Con-Ass.
Earlier the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the El- Shaddai, and the Jesus is Lord issued statements against what they called the "unconscionable violation" of the Constitution and called for rallies and other protest actions denouncing the Con-Ass.
The Palace source said Arroyo asked Speaker Jose de Venecia if the Con-Ass could be postponed but the latter was adamant, saying "it’s now or never."
Other sources said Arroyo was closeted with her political advisers last night in Malacañang on how to jettison the Con-Ass without triggering a break with De Venecia.
Ellen must have good sources because Malacanang did just that today.
And JDV was probably pressured by Malacanang to issue this statement today as a face-saving measure.
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