Cordillera Groups Rise Up Vs. Cha-cha

Published on June 6, 2009

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
Regions
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

BAGUIO CITY ? Various progressive groups here in this city 246 kms. north of Manila held an indignation rally June 3 against the railroading of House Resolution 1109 that seeks to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly (Con-ass).

The House of Representatives voted on the resolution 30 minutes before midnight Tuesday in a bid to change the Philippine Constitution.

Twenty-two House representatives of the Cordillera, Ilocos and Cagayan regions supported House Resolution 1109. In the Cordillera, all the six representatives signed the resolution.

Chie Galvez, secretary-general of the Tongtongan ti Umili-Metro-Baguio (TTU-MB) said the “aye” of the allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the House of Representatives only showed how the voice of the majority of the Filipino people are being set aside to advance the vested interests of the few ruling elite. Galvez added that HR 1109 would intensify the total sellout of Philippine sovereignty and patrimony.

“The congressmen who are saying that the passage of cha-cha will not extend the term of Arroyo do not really understand that it is not the only issue, there is also the all-out sellout of the country’s sovereignty and patrimony to foreigners. Multi-national and trans-national corporations can now freely enter and exploit our lands, especially ancestral lands,” Galvez said.

In a joint statement, TTU-MB and the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said the proponents of Charter change are geared towards deleting the economic provision in the Constitution providing for 60 percent Filipino equity on corporations and associations. “Clearly, Cha-cha paves the way for the 100 percent foreign ownership of lands and resources in the country, further marginalizing Filipinos from utilizing these resources. In the Cordillera, cha-cha would further displace indigenous peoples from their lands as foreign corporations intensify the plunder of the remaining lands and resources of indigenous peoples,” the TTU-MB stated.

The TTU-MB added that cha-cha will only worsen political repression as proposals in amending the Bill of Rights are included by its proponents.

The group said that one of the proposals is to add the word “responsible” to the freedom of speech and expression. “With the many cases of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, political persecution and other forms of human rights violations, the insertion of the term ‘responsible’ only worsens the situation,” stressed the statement.

The TTU also said that Cha-cha means term extension for Arroyo.

Kabataan Partylist coordinator in the Cordillera Anjo Cerdeña said it is surprising that congressmen who are not normally present in all the regular and special sessions of the congress suddenly appeared just to give their “aye” for the HR 1109.

“And it is more surprising that the congressmen who are always with Arroyo every time she has a trip abroad were there in the special session of the House,”said Cerdeña.

The group ended their program with a signature campaign through a “Great Wall vs. Cha-cha” at the Baguio City People’s Park. (with reports from Lyn Ramo) (Northern Dispatch/Posted by Bulatlat.com)