Palace: GMA won’t waver on Cha-cha

President Arroyo is not wavering in her commitment to amend the Constitution, even though she admits her constitutional mandate is still to finish her term of office in 2010, her spokesman said.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo remains focused on her mission to rewrite the Constitution to allow a change to a parliamentary form of government and this stand "is clear and has not changed."

Bunye made the statement in reaction to claims by former President Fidel Ramos that Mrs. Arroyo had apparently shelved initiatives to amend the Constitution.

Ramos said Mrs. Arroyo was seeking to maximize her stay in office by dragging her feet on Charter change initiatives.

Bunye took exception to these claims by the former chief executive, however.

He said Mrs. Arroyo had taken initiative by directing Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz and Local Governments Secretary Angelo Reyes to participate in public consultations for the creation of a Consultative Constitutional Commission that would study proposed amendments to the Charter.

The consultative commission would help expedite the work of whichever body eventually undertakes Charter change through a constituent assembly, Bunye said.

"Medyo tahimik lamang magtrabaho itong dalawang officials, but ginagawa nila iyong kanilang nararapat gawin (They may not be prominent but they are doing what they have to do)," Bunye said.

Earlier, Bunye said the proposal to create a truth commission to investigate accusations of electoral cheating against Mrs. Arroyo was now on the backburner to allow Charter change initiatives to move forward.

Bunye denied any retreat from Charter change, though, saying the President has been consistent and on schedule regarding her commitment to institute political reforms.

He said Mrs. Arroyo was clear about her position during last year’s presidential campaign and in her State of the Nation Address last month.

In her SONA, Mrs. Arroyo focused her short speech on the urgency of changing the Constitution to usher in a parliamentary system, Bunye noted.

Though Mrs. Arroyo has only agreed to Charter change in general terms, Bunye explained that until the Constitution is changed or amended, the President is still bound to serve out the remainder of her term under the present Constitution.

"At this time the Charter has not been changed. The President is elected to serve a term up to 2010 under the present Constitution," Bunye said in Filipino. — Aurea Calica