How and Why You Should Be Involved in the May Elections?
Some people tell us, "Why don't you just let GMA finish her term? Instead of advocating impeachment, which is very disruptive, why don't you just prepare for 2010 and field a candidate who will support your agenda?"
On the surface, this looks like a sober and reasonable request coming from people who are not necessarily rabid GMA fans.
How quickly we forget. Only a few months ago, the GMA administration – using the resources of the DILG, launched a very expensive people's initiative to revise the charter. And when the Supreme Court declared the exercise a bogus, GMA marshalled her allies in Congress to push for a constituent assembly (ConAss).
Had they succeeded in either mode of charter change, we will not have an election this May, the Senate will be abolished, the current Congress will be transformed into a rubber-stamp parliament not much different from the Batasang Pambansa of Marcos during the martial law years, and the charter will be amended to allow GMA to rule beyond 2010 either as president or prime minister.
Now, what makes you think they have abandoned their plans? Should they get enough seats in the next Congress, you can be sure that twiddling with the charter will be high on the agenda. Already, they are looking at October 2007 as the target date of transforming to a unicameral-presiden tial government. And that's only the start.
The pattern is clear. First, there were CPR, EO 464, and PP 1017 – all intended to suppress the truth, muzzling any legitimate inquiry into the Garci scandal and fertilizer scam. Then, there were the GMA-funded People's initiative and the shameless ConAss attempt by GMA lackeys in Congress. This time, the goal was to pre-empt any further impeachment and entrench themselves (GMA and her allies) in power by amending the charter.
Except for ConAss - which was withdrawn before it could be challenged, all of these were subsequently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
I'm sure GMA has enough advisers to point out the glaring legal infirmities of her Executive Orders and charter change initiatives. She proceeded just the same, asserting validity of her orders until rebuffed by the Supreme Court. It exposed GMA's dictatorial bent and true character. She will do anything, including making a mockery of the law, just to stay in power.
The lack of outrage from a jaded and cynical citizenry has emboldened the GMA regime to be more brazen and punitive in dealing with political dissenters.
FG Mike Arroyo filed over 40 libel cases against critics and journalists – one for the record books. Meanwhile, decades-old charges are resurrected and used as basis to arrest party list representatives linked with militant groups. In the countryside, human rights are routinely violated – curfew is imposed, citizens without cedulas accosted and even arrested, residences are searched without warrants, and some people would simply disappear without any trace. More recently, army contingents were deployed in densely populated urban poor areas to "dissuade" residents from voting for militant party list groups. And GMA would even publicly commend the officers of these units for a "job well done."
Not since the dark years of martial law have we seen militarization and a reign of terror and intimidation of such scale. And you still wonder why over 800 incidents of extrajudicial killings and disappearances remain unsolved?
And, where there is growing political tyranny, crony capitalism is not very far behind. Large government contracts, smuggling, and gambling operations – legal or otherwise, are becoming the exclusive domain of people close to the palace. Do you still wonder why we are now the most corrupt economy in Asia today?
It's déjà vu – the 70s all over again. The scripts are eerily similar. Only the terminologies have changed – from New Society to Strong Republic, from communists to terrorists, from KBL to Kampi. Marcos, at least, had the decency to declare martial law. GMA does not even bother.
Is there hope for our country? More importantly, is there anything we can do to change the situation?
Fortunately, there is one window of opportunity left for us to derail the GMA blueprint to stay beyond 2010: the May 2007 elections.
We need to elect to the next Congress at least 79 men and women of moral courage who will block the anticipated self-serving charter change of GMA. These same men and women can exact accountability from GMA for the unabated corruption and extrajudicial killings through congressional inquiries and initiation of an impeachment complaint. This will also put closure to longstanding issues like the Garci scandal and the fertilizer scam which have haunted this administration. Maybe then, we can all move forward.
It's not easy. And we need to get organized.
The Black and White Movement launched its Black List-White List campaign for this purpose. We selected 100 Congressional Districts and party list groups where we will vote and actively campaign FOR candidates in the White List and campaign AGAINST those in the Black List. It also includes annotations why candidates were included in the list.
The details are published at www.BlacknWhite- Movement. com.
How can you be involved?
1. Help us promote this campaign. Forward this email to friends, relatives, and colleagues. Post it in your favorite blogs and egroups.
2. Vote for the whitelisted candidate in your district, if there is one.
3. Campaign for whitelisted candidates, and against blacklisted ones within your sphere of influence. If you're reading this via email, you're probably much better off than the average Filipino, and you have influence over people in your workplace, at home (relatives, house help, and their families), and in your community. Create your own sample ballot and distribute to people you can influence. You'd be surprised how many people are just waiting for endorsements and instructions from people they trust and respect.
4. Be involved in the poll watch. There will be cheating, true. But vigilance from more people can certainly reduce its effect.
Each of us will have to do our share. Sitting idly by is no longer an option.
Remember - this election is not a choice between the status quo and a destabilizing impeachment espoused by the opposition, as GMA would like you to believe. It is a choice between perpetuating the GMA regime on the one hand, and the restoration and rehabilitation of our democratic institutions on the other.
Together, we may yet secure a better future for our children.
Some people tell us, "Why don't you just let GMA finish her term? Instead of advocating impeachment, which is very disruptive, why don't you just prepare for 2010 and field a candidate who will support your agenda?"
On the surface, this looks like a sober and reasonable request coming from people who are not necessarily rabid GMA fans.
How quickly we forget. Only a few months ago, the GMA administration – using the resources of the DILG, launched a very expensive people's initiative to revise the charter. And when the Supreme Court declared the exercise a bogus, GMA marshalled her allies in Congress to push for a constituent assembly (ConAss).
Had they succeeded in either mode of charter change, we will not have an election this May, the Senate will be abolished, the current Congress will be transformed into a rubber-stamp parliament not much different from the Batasang Pambansa of Marcos during the martial law years, and the charter will be amended to allow GMA to rule beyond 2010 either as president or prime minister.
Now, what makes you think they have abandoned their plans? Should they get enough seats in the next Congress, you can be sure that twiddling with the charter will be high on the agenda. Already, they are looking at October 2007 as the target date of transforming to a unicameral-presiden tial government. And that's only the start.
The pattern is clear. First, there were CPR, EO 464, and PP 1017 – all intended to suppress the truth, muzzling any legitimate inquiry into the Garci scandal and fertilizer scam. Then, there were the GMA-funded People's initiative and the shameless ConAss attempt by GMA lackeys in Congress. This time, the goal was to pre-empt any further impeachment and entrench themselves (GMA and her allies) in power by amending the charter.
Except for ConAss - which was withdrawn before it could be challenged, all of these were subsequently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
I'm sure GMA has enough advisers to point out the glaring legal infirmities of her Executive Orders and charter change initiatives. She proceeded just the same, asserting validity of her orders until rebuffed by the Supreme Court. It exposed GMA's dictatorial bent and true character. She will do anything, including making a mockery of the law, just to stay in power.
The lack of outrage from a jaded and cynical citizenry has emboldened the GMA regime to be more brazen and punitive in dealing with political dissenters.
FG Mike Arroyo filed over 40 libel cases against critics and journalists – one for the record books. Meanwhile, decades-old charges are resurrected and used as basis to arrest party list representatives linked with militant groups. In the countryside, human rights are routinely violated – curfew is imposed, citizens without cedulas accosted and even arrested, residences are searched without warrants, and some people would simply disappear without any trace. More recently, army contingents were deployed in densely populated urban poor areas to "dissuade" residents from voting for militant party list groups. And GMA would even publicly commend the officers of these units for a "job well done."
Not since the dark years of martial law have we seen militarization and a reign of terror and intimidation of such scale. And you still wonder why over 800 incidents of extrajudicial killings and disappearances remain unsolved?
And, where there is growing political tyranny, crony capitalism is not very far behind. Large government contracts, smuggling, and gambling operations – legal or otherwise, are becoming the exclusive domain of people close to the palace. Do you still wonder why we are now the most corrupt economy in Asia today?
It's déjà vu – the 70s all over again. The scripts are eerily similar. Only the terminologies have changed – from New Society to Strong Republic, from communists to terrorists, from KBL to Kampi. Marcos, at least, had the decency to declare martial law. GMA does not even bother.
Is there hope for our country? More importantly, is there anything we can do to change the situation?
Fortunately, there is one window of opportunity left for us to derail the GMA blueprint to stay beyond 2010: the May 2007 elections.
We need to elect to the next Congress at least 79 men and women of moral courage who will block the anticipated self-serving charter change of GMA. These same men and women can exact accountability from GMA for the unabated corruption and extrajudicial killings through congressional inquiries and initiation of an impeachment complaint. This will also put closure to longstanding issues like the Garci scandal and the fertilizer scam which have haunted this administration. Maybe then, we can all move forward.
It's not easy. And we need to get organized.
The Black and White Movement launched its Black List-White List campaign for this purpose. We selected 100 Congressional Districts and party list groups where we will vote and actively campaign FOR candidates in the White List and campaign AGAINST those in the Black List. It also includes annotations why candidates were included in the list.
The details are published at www.BlacknWhite- Movement. com.
How can you be involved?
1. Help us promote this campaign. Forward this email to friends, relatives, and colleagues. Post it in your favorite blogs and egroups.
2. Vote for the whitelisted candidate in your district, if there is one.
3. Campaign for whitelisted candidates, and against blacklisted ones within your sphere of influence. If you're reading this via email, you're probably much better off than the average Filipino, and you have influence over people in your workplace, at home (relatives, house help, and their families), and in your community. Create your own sample ballot and distribute to people you can influence. You'd be surprised how many people are just waiting for endorsements and instructions from people they trust and respect.
4. Be involved in the poll watch. There will be cheating, true. But vigilance from more people can certainly reduce its effect.
Each of us will have to do our share. Sitting idly by is no longer an option.
Remember - this election is not a choice between the status quo and a destabilizing impeachment espoused by the opposition, as GMA would like you to believe. It is a choice between perpetuating the GMA regime on the one hand, and the restoration and rehabilitation of our democratic institutions on the other.
Together, we may yet secure a better future for our children.
(This was fowarded by Enteng Romano of the Black and White Movement. Several points were raised and I am posting this message here on my blog in agreement. )
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