Letter to the Editor - Quick fix

I smell rotten fish and I think it is called "FVR"! According to a newspaper quotation: "Former president Fidel Ramos says President Arroyo must be allowed to run for prime minister, saying she is innocent until proven guilty."

It is true that in a democracy a person is innocent until proven guilty but five years ago that did not apply. If you recall it was five years ago that Fidel Ramos, Sin and Gloria Arroyo violated the Philippine constitution by supporting and encouraging the illegal removal of the duly elected president of the Philippines, President Estrada.

Not only did they remove him from office illegally they placed him in detention. That is, he was guilty until he could prove himself innocent. I am not for nor am I against former president Estrada but I am very much against the "double" standards of former president Ramos and President Arroyo.

Using the logic, i.e., "standards" used to remove Estrada from office President Gloria Arroyo should be in detention at this very moment and De Castro should be the President. It should also be noted that FVR is making the presumption that the Philippines will switch to a parliamentary form of government by stating GMA should be allowed to run for prime minister.

A word of advice to FVR and GMA: Don't count your chickens until the eggs have hatched. I will remind FVR to recall the oath he took at West Point - seems he has forgotten about that.

The political problems of the Philippines can't be corrected by a "quick fix" as implied by FVR and GMA. The problems are not a result of the political system. The problems are directly related to the corrupt, power hungry, greedy political dynasties and clans that have ruled the Philippines for nearly 100 years. It does not take much time or effort to research who these individuals are in all levels of government. It is these same individuals, i.e., dynasties and clans, that will do whatever it takes to retain power. That includes violation of the constitution to murder.

Why do FVR and GMA want a Cha-Cha i.e. quick fix? I believe it is fundamentally a way to retain power for as long as possible and for GMA to circumvent an impeachment. Regardless as to what FVR might claim, he is a very power hungry person. Even at the age of 77 he still craves being in a position of power - being the guiding light for those that will follow him. In other words, he is the puppet master, at least he thinks he is the puppet master.

I wonder if FVR and GMA actually understand the constitution of the Philippines and its intention. Its intention being to safe guard the Republic of the Philippines and its people from the likes of FVR and GMA.
Alex Lee
Lapu-Lapu City
Mactan Cebu