...

was browsin thru tumblr when i saw a post of an angry lad...


and yes... it's slowly unraveling...
what the top lawyers predicted as Gloria's master plan is now getting clearer and clearer...
:(
(i want to tell myself, this ain't happenin' )

prediction comes to life


Arroyo files bill calling for Charter change


By Maila Ager, Leila B. Salaverria
Agence France-Presse, INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 14:13:00 07/01/2010
Filed Under: Government, Constitution, Charter change, Politics


MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2) Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo began her first day as a lawmaker by attempting to resurrect Charter change.


Arroyo and her son, Camarines Sur Representative Diosdado Arroyo, co-authored House Resolution 8 which calls for a constitutional convention to propose amendments to or the revision of the 1987 Constitution.


Staff members filed the measure, which if successful, could change the system of government to one ruled by a prime minister rather than a president.


Arroyo also filed a bill to protect all species of sharks and rays in the country, and co-authored seven other bills with her son.


When sought for a reaction, Edwin Lacierda, spokesman for President Benigno Aquino III, said they were neither alarmed nor surprised by the move and downplayed this, saying Arroyo did not have the support in the House of Representatives to succeed.


"The filing of the Charter change [resolution] is not a threat as far as we are concerned," Lacierda told reporters at a press briefing.


"If we are able to convince the members of the House that this is not a valid or a good time to amend the Constitution, then that will be dead in the water."


But Lacierda said they were not ruling out the possibility that Aquino could intervene and mobilize his allies in the House to block the passage of the measure.


“It's possible. I don't know yet,” Lacierda said, pointing out that the President might not be aware of it yet as he was meeting foreign dignitaries when the news of Arroyo’s filing came out.


In any case, Malacañang was leaving it up to Congress to act on Arroyo's bill, he said.


“Well if she filed the bill, let's see. Let the legislative process take it course. Let's see. Do we have any say on that? Let the legislative department handle that,” he said.


Asked what he thought were the chances of the bill to get the nod of Congress, Lacierda said, “It's too early to tell.”


Asked again whether the Palace was not threatened by Arroyo's move, the Palace spokesman said, “That was already her commitment even before. She wanted to amend the Constitution through various means – Cha-Cha, PIRMA whatever so this is not something surprising for us.”


Arroyo, who was required by constitutional term limits to stand down after nearly a decade in power, has long been suspected of wanting to continue leading the country.


She took the unprecedented step for a sitting president of contesting, and winning, a seat in Congress in the May 10 national elections.


Arroyo's critics have accused her of wanting to use her position in the House as a platform to change the Constitution and become prime minister.


During her presidency, Arroyo had frequently said the gridlock arising from the presidency and parliament not agreeing on policy directions was holding back economic progress.


She tried repeatedly to change the Constitution, but her initiatives were blocked by the Senate, many of whose members, including Aquino at the time, harbored their own ambitions to the presidency.


Political analyst Ramon Casiple said Arroyo's fresh bid to change the Constitution could also be part of her efforts to avoid possible prosecution for alleged crimes committed during her time in power.


Aquino has said he intended to set up a Truth Commission to investigate and possibly prosecute Arroyo for alleged vote rigging, corruption and rights abuses.


A change to another form of government would derail the work of the investigative body, according to Casiple, from the Manila-based Institute for Political and Electoral Reform.


"It's just a matter of time before the... commission starts its work," he said.


Arroyo and her aides could not be reached for comment Thursday.