Coalition of NGOs launch campaign against Cha-Cha

A coalition, of 18 legal resource non-government organizations for the poor and marginal communities, has launched recently a nationwide campaign against Charter Change.

The coalition, known as Alternative Law Groups Inc., said it represents the fisher folk, peasants, indigenous people, farmer, women and children, among others in the marginal sector.

Lawyer Raul Barbarona, executive director of the Environmental Legal Assistance that is a member of the coalition, said Charter Change is not the solution to the economic crisis and other problems besetting the country today.

Barbarona believed that changing our present Constitution would just revive the dictatorship of the Marcos years.

"Dili pa gyud unta angay nga usbon ang Konstitusyon aron gyud mahibaw-an kon unsay matuod sa mga mitumaw nga isyo og kontrobersya batuk sa kasamtangang administrasyon," Barbarona said.

The coalition's cry "Walang Gloria sa Cha-Cha" also listed seven points of contention in opposing the proposed change of the Constitution.

One of these is the argument that a new Constitution would make the president "impeachment-proof", and restore private armies and paramilitary groups of politicians.

After the launching, the coalition said it would do all it could to carry out community mobilization in educating the public on the negative effects of Cha-Cha.

Barbarona however said the coalition might favor constitutional change but only if it is done through a constitutional convention. - Jasmin R. Uy