This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 21, July 3-9, 2005
Bulatlat
Interview: The current political
situation in the country, which has undergone two people's uprisings leading to
the fall of two presidents (within 15 years) and that of another one – in just
four years – unfolding, has created both disgust and frustration among many
Filipinos. Needless to say, the
present situation has also opened debates and forums over what is now appearing
to be the most singular question: Is it a matter of replacing a president who
has lost all credibility or is it already a matter of replacing a failed system.
In this regard, there are at least four major options developing assuming that
Gloria 1) There is a growing
number of Filipinos who are open to the idea of a transition or coalition
government that will do away with the constitutional presidential succession in
case Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resigns or is ousted from Malacañang. The basis is
not only frustration over the presidency but more so on the present political
system that continues to breed corrupt presidents and elitist rule. Do you
believe that the time and condition are ripe for this option that, in effect,
will also be geared toward replacing the present presidential system of
government and craft a new one? What makes you think this will become acceptable
to the people? © 2004 Bulatlat
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‘Patriotic AFP Members Can Join
Council’ – Sison
Bulatlat last week held an email interview with Prof. Jose Maria Sison as
a political analyst and inspirational leader of the national democratic movement
in the country with regards the current political crisis. Sison, who is on
forced exile in The Netherlands, is also the current chief political consultant
of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Macapagal-Arroyo is forced to resign or is ousted by another political uprising:
first, constitutional succession; second, a snap presidential election; third,
military junta; and fourth, a transition or coalition government.
Interviewing Prof. Sison was Bobby Tuazon. Following is the short interview and
Prof. Sison’s reply:
JMS (Jose Maria Sison): The Filipino people are desirous of revolutionary
change and are open to the idea of a revolutionary coalition transition
government to do away with the line of presidential succession in the 1987
constitution of the Manila government. It is possible and necessary for a broad
united front of forces to oust Gloria M. Arroyo and her cohorts from power. The
key forces now at work against the Arroyo regime are the mass organizations of
the national democratic movement, certain opposition parties and certain groups
of military and police officers. They can form a people's democratic council
that can serve as the transition coalition government that calls for elections
of executive and legislative officials as well as delegates to a constitutional
convention six months after the ouster of the arroyo regime. The presidential
form of government may be replaced by the parliamentary form. The
constitutional convention should be entirely different from the scheme of Arroyo
and [House Speaker Jose] De Venecia to change the constitution according to
their selfish interest. People will like the people's democratic council and the
parliamentary form of government if the representatives of workers, peasants,
women, youth and national minorities will be adequately and properly
represented. The role of the people's armed revolutionary movement will gain
importance and strength in changing the entire ruling system of big compradors
and landlords.
2) Related to the first question, how do you figure out this type of
government considering the possibility that those who would comprise such would
come from leaders representing various political shades and colors who were in
the forefront in the ouster of Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo? Please clarify what should
be the maximum and minimum basis for this type of alliance or government of
national unity?
JMS: The people's democratic council should include the representatives
of the largest, most significant and most active parties and organizations in
the movement to oust the arroyo regime. We can let the forthcoming elections to
decide the composition of the parliament, after the electoral rules are made so
truly democratic as to allow parties and organizations of workers and peasants
to field candidates successfully. But so long as the ruling system of big
compradors and landlords remains intact, reactionary politicians will still be
dominant. The continuing socio-economic and political crisis will favor the rise
of the revolutionary forces and people against the reactionary politicians of
the big compradors and landlords. The ouster or resignation of Arroyo in a favor
of a people's democratic council or something else will not be the end of the
story.
3) Can you possibly mention or propose some specific names who should be in
this transition or coalition government? Do you foresee any slot here for the
military (active or retired) particularly some patriotic or progressive
elements?
JMS: It is premature for me to mention names that should be in the
transition or coalition government. In due time, the strongest and most
effective parties and organizations in the mass movement to oust the Arroyo
regime will become obvious through the large numbers of people that they can
arouse, organize and mobilize. Negotiations will occur among such parties and
organizations in order to apportion delegates in a people's consultative
assembly that will elect the people's democratic council. Retired military and
police officers may represent retired and active officers in the assembly and
council. But they should not be more than ten percent in order to uphold the
principle of civilian supremacy. If Arroyo insists on staying in power by brute
force, an alliance between the New People's Army and the patriotic sections of
the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and PNP [Philippine National Police]
is possible. Such an alliance will have to be taken into account in the broad
united front.
4) Any coalition, in principle, will inevitably undertake the task of
drafting a new constitution, determining the form of political rule that should
replace the present reactionary system and schedule an election. Do you believe
that this political process can push through and in what way? What will happen
to the present crop of political
parties?
JMS: There should be a constitution that is patriotic and democratic. The
draft of this can be prepared in advance under the direction of the people's
democratic council. It should be deliberated upon and ratified soon after the
Arroyo regime is ousted. There should be elections that are truly democratic.
Parties and organizations of the working people should be able to participate in
the elections and thereby get their share of power and responsibility. Thus, the
reactionary parties of the comprador big bourgeoisie and the landlord class
should lose their monopoly of political power.
5) Related to the previous question, "coalition governments" are known to be
fragile and many of them eventually collapse with one political group or party
dominating. How should the Left handle this?
JMS: Coalition governments may be stable or unstable. But no matter how
often is the change of parliamentary leadership, there should be an honest,
competent and efficient bureaucracy. If the crisis becomes worse and calls for
nothing less than a revolutionary transformation of society, then the people and
revolutionary forces will smash the entire bureaucratic and military machinery
of the state and establish a people's democratic coalition government.
6) What should be the role of the NDFP in the coalition?
JMS: The NDFP can play an important role in building a people's
democratic coalition government. However, if the objective is to oust the Arroyo
regime, it suffices that the different legal political forces, including the
legal mass organizations of the national democratic movement, form the broad
united front to oust the Arroyo regime and subsequently establish a provisional
or transitional kind of coalition government. The NDFP will be able to play an
increasingly important role as a result of the victories of the people in the
legal democratic movement and the armed revolutionary movement against the
ruling system. The CPP, NPA and the NDFP are the most important forces for
building the people's democratic coalition government. Bulatlat