From impeachment trial to street parliament - ROSES AND THORNS - By Alejandro R. Roces

The Senate impeachment tribunal has left the people with no other choice than to demand justice in our streets. Anyway one looks at it, the best solution to the problem is for President Erap to resign. But he has announced that that is out of the question. The people then should stop asking him to resign. What they should do is to take the necessary means to depose the president.

Cardinal Sin best expressed it when he said that President Estrada has lost the moral ascendancy to govern. Former President Fidel Ramos said that the Senate vote to keep evidence of presidential corruption under lock and key "will trigger another people’s revolution." He has gone as far as to call for military intervention. "Now is the time for the Philippine National Police and some sectors of the military to act." Cardinal Sin has expressed fears that "we might not be able to stop bloodshed."

Undoubtedly, our precarious economic situation will worsen. First, we have to prevent our growing budget deficit from even getting bigger. There is a limit to deficit spending. The Philippine peso has hit a record low and the Philippine Stock Exchange composite index lost 8.3 percent. We cannot regain investors’ confidence here and abroad unless we can restore their confidence on our head of state.

Isn’t it sad when people have to resort to going to the streets to express their sentiments because institutions like the Senate have failed to live up to the obligations of imposing the law? We sincerely believe that the Senate should be abolished. We should adopt a unicameral system. To begin with, the Senate is supposed to be composed of senior statespersons. What the public saw during the impeachment proceedings is that the majority — not all — of the senators are political delinquents.

The salvation of the country now rests on people’s power. We are hoping against hope that it will be as peaceful as the first revolution. But we must be ever ready to pay the price for freedom and justice whenever it is necessary. Don’t underestimate our people. Nora Aunor, for example, has risen to the occasion. We also commend another movie actor who also happens to be the present Cavite Governor, Ramon "Bong" Revilla. He has not only joined "Erap Resign" rallies, he has also politically distanced himself from his father, another actor and now one of the 11 senators who voted against the opening of the second envelope. It is an example of not letting one’s friends, relatives and colleagues influence one’s political decisions.

We foresee only two future political scenarios. President Estrada will either voluntarily resign or he will be deposed by people’s power.