Call national referendum on resignation issue - ROSES AND THORNS by Alejandro R. Roces

Undoubtedly the question most in the mind of the people today is whether President Estrada should resign or not. The people in the palace say that if there were a snap election, President Estrada will win overwhelmingly because he still enjoys the support of the masses. They seem to forget that even in the last elections, he was not elected by the majority of the people. He won because there were many candidates and he received the publicity – not the majority of votes. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo got more votes as Vice-President than President Estrada did as President.

The most logical, democratic and sensible way to know whether President Estrada enjoys his support of the masses or not is to hold a national referendum, as we all know, is the practice of submitting popular vote an issue that confronts a nation. If the President would agree to abide by the results of such a referendum, this would be a better solution than impeachment or a snap election. Let the people decide. If Malacañang sincerely believes that the President still enjoys mass support, they will welcome this suggestion.

President Estrada announced that his administration would be, first, pro-poor; second, it would not be used to help relatives and friends. The jueteng charge that Governor Singson has made against him comes from an old gambling and drinking buddy. The charge includes many of his cronies and relatives.

Lately, the President has been visiting poor communities where he was royally welcomed. But this was because he was distributing land titles. The government does not have a strong program of land for the landless and homes for the poor.

There have been several anti-Erap demonstrations calling for his resignation. The president claims that they are being programmed by the elite, whom he refers as insulares and peninsulares. One thing we know, the participants of those rallies were not paid to attend. They participated on their own volition. Can they say the same thing about the pro-Erap demonstrations?

One thing is certain. We are a nation in crisis and what is at stake is not the presidency, but the economy. The president sees the crisis as one between the very rich and the poor. It is not that at all. The issue is between what is right and wrong. According to his former crony, he is the jueteng lord. We all know that the victims of jueteng are the very poor. If Singson can sustain his charges, then, President Estrada was the very worst exploiter of the underprivileged.

Whether we like it or not, the issue has become one of credibility. The only way we can truly establish the issue of credibility is by conducting a national referendum. As for the facts of the case, that should be determined by our courts.