Join hands and stop Con-Ass, Cha-Cha now!

Now that the world's attention is on us because of the ASEAN summit, let us take this occasion to tell the world about the selfish desire of the pro-GMA administration members of Congress to rush and force their version of, their timetable for, and their way of changing this nation's Charter.

These shameless politicians are saying that their version of the Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) is constitutional, deciding Cha-Cha for themselves, without the presence, participation, and independent decision of the Senate, the other co-equal half of Congress.

These Con-Ass, Cha-Cha advocates are also saying that it will be the people who will finally vote for Cha-Cha in a plebiscite, hence, their procedure is not only constitutional, but democratic as well.

Sure, a plebiscite may be held, but how clean and how honest will this plebiscite be?

Remember, these are also the same people who believe in the questionable "people's initiative" which was rejected twice by the Panganiban-led Supreme Court. These are also the same people who are supporting a leadership whose legitimacy continues to be questioned, whose election continues to be rejected in the midst of the unresolved electoral cheating and the Garci incident. These are also the same people who shamelessly use the rule of numbers as equivalent to the rule of law for such important matters like the GMA impeachment, then this time around, the Con-Ass. They have been reported to even boast of the Supreme Court changing its position vis-à-vis the people's initiative now that Chief Justice Panganiban has retired.

We welcome the decision of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to block the Con-Ass to change this country's very important constitution! We welcome those who see in this Cha-Cha rush the real intention of the power-hungry to stay in their positions longer, without the benefit of true and honest elections. We join hands with those who are for genuine democracy, those who are for honest and clean elections, those for responsible leadership, and those who protect the integrity of our constitution.

Imagine rushing the Cha-Cha through their own style of Con-Ass and plebiscite. Why not allow our people more time to study and understand the charter and what needs to be changed within this constitution? Why must they rush the Cha-Cha till February? Why don't the Con-Ass and the Cha-Cha advocates wait till after the May 2007 elections and give our people their right to choose the leaders whom they can entrust real constitutional change with?

If the present majority in Congress are so sure and confident about their kind of leadership. logically, they should not worry about the results of the May elections because they are sure to be re-elected anyway. Their self-evaluation, however, does not seem to jibe with several survey results that show how displeased our people are with the present leadership and how strongly they reject any form of Cha-Cha now. Is that why they need to rush the Con-Ass, the Cha-Cha and the plebiscite?

While they say that they believe in the people's choice and democracy, their actions loudly contradict their verbal statements. Will you want to entrust our charter, our nation, our people's future to this group that cannot even grant due courtesy to their constitutionally co-equal counterparts in the Senate and the Supreme Court?

There are many options for showing your disgust and protest for this group that wants to rush and ram their kind of politics and charter down our throats. With one voice and sincere prayer to the Lord for His timely intervention, let them hear our vehement "Tama na, husto na, sobra na! No to Con-Ass, No to Cha-Cha, now!"

Let us give ourselves this genuine Christmas gift of democracy to ourselves, to our people, to our children. Let us not allow the irresponsible politicians to deprive us of our right to elect ( in an honest and clean process ) and our right to participate in a genuine change of our constitution.

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