Transition Council
The extra-constitutional
ouster of the Arroyo regime is not a recipe for disorder and uncertainty.
It is a golden opportunity to truly empower the people and lay the ground
for a new government of unity, reform and all-round progress via a
“Transition Council.”
By Carol
Pagaduan-Araullo
Streetwise / Busineass World
Posted by Bulatlat
Many of those who remain hesitant about joining the protest movement to
oust the Arroyo government, and even many of those who are already
convinced of the need for people power still ask, "Sino ang ipapalit?"
There is a wide perception that the reason people are not yet pouring out
into the streets is not so much the lack of disgust for the GMA regime but
the lack of clarity or consensus on who should lead the new government, or
the lack of an immediately palatable or generally acceptable successor.
The situation now is thus different from 1986 and 2001 when a consensus
had been reached on who should lead the new government before or as soon
as the people massed in the streets, nationwide, in their millions. In
2001, the situation was simpler because GMA presented an acceptable
alternative to Estrada, regardless of the preferred or actual manner by
which Estrada would be deposed -- resignation, impeachment, or ouster.
This time around the question of who takes over hinges to a large extent
on how the Arroyo regime is removed from power. Had Mrs. Arroyo
voluntarily resigned or been impeached and then found guilty in an
impeachment trial, Vice President Noli de Castro would step in as
constitutional successor.
No matter how unpalatable to many of the forces working for regime change,
many of whom also aim for instituting substantial reforms in the political
and socio-economic system in this country, a de Castro presidency would
take over in the natural course of events and the people, the military
establishment and other states as well as international public opinion
would likely accept it as legitimate.
On the other hand, with voluntary resignation and impeachment foreclosed
by the intransigence and machinations of the Arroyo administration, only a
“people power” uprising supported by anti-GMA forces in the military
remains as the realistic and viable avenue for removing Mrs. Arroyo from
Malacañang.
Those who are calling for the ouster of GMA have made it clear that
constitutional succession is unacceptable. “Why go through all the
trouble, risk and hardship of people power just so Noli will replace
Gloria,” they ask.
Apparently this view is also widely held among the restive anti-GMA groups
and elements in the military who would, at some point, be expected to act
to realize the withdrawal of military support from Mrs. Arroyo and shift
this to the coalition of forces that will establish the new government.
People power should result in the people being empowered to put in place a
new government that they trust and support; that will bring about the
immediate and longer term reform measures to alleviate the dire
socio-economic plight of the majority of our people as well as lead the
country towards prosperity and development; and that will institute
political and constitutional changes that will result in good governance,
a just and lasting peace and the promotion of national interests amidst a
foreign policy of friendship and non-interference in the affairs of other
countries.
But while people power can oust the GMA regime it may not be able to
immediately decide who shall lead or constitute the new, regular
government that should take its place.
This is the raison d'etre for the “Transition Council” which the Gloria
Step Down Movement (GSM) and a growing number of other anti-GMA forces
are advocating. It shall pave the way for democratic elections – clean,
fair and with real choices of platforms and candidates -- where the people
can decide who should lead the new government.
The “Transition Council” is not yet the new government. It has been
proposed that those who constitute it shall be barred from seeking the
presidency or have an important position, apart from advisory, in the new
government so as to remove all suspicion that they are pursuing vested
interests. It will lead the country for a relatively short period of
time, i.e. from six months to one year.
In the pursuit of justice as well to demonstrate the needed political will
for good governance, the “Transition Council” shall prioritize the
investigation and prosecution of Mrs. Arroyo and other high public
officials who are party to the betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft
and corruption and other high crimes against the Filipino people. At the
same time, it shall render justice, including a swift and fair trial, on
all outstanding cases of plunder and graft and corruption involving
current and previous high public officials.
The “Transition Council” will undertake the thorough clean-up and reform
of the electoral system as well massive voter education to lay the ground
for the special elections for those who will lead the new government.
The stabilization of the general economic and political situation will be
the immediate concern of the “Transition Council”. It must undertake
measures to provide immediate economic relief and rehabilitation while
laying the groundwork for a strong, self-reliant economy as well as
measures upholding the people’s democratic rights and national
sovereignty. The following list illustrates the kind of actions that the
“Transition Council” can and should pursue:
· a pro-people fiscal policy that will include the scrapping of
taxes that place an intolerable burden on the people such as the expanded
VAT
· a cap on debt repayments and the renegotiation of the terms of
previous debts up to and including the cancellation and repudiation of
onerous debts
· a stop to runaway price increases of all basic commodities and
services, especially fuel, water and electrical power
· a stop to the curtailment of the people’s freedom of speech,
assembly and association
· rendering justice to the victims of human rights violations
· the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and
the National Democratic Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The extra-constitutional ouster of the Arroyo regime is not a recipe for
disorder and uncertainty. It is looked upon by patriotic and democratic
Filipinos everywhere as a golden opportunity to truly empower the people
and lay the ground for a new government of unity, reform and all-round
progress via a “Transition Council”. Posted by Bulatlat
BACK TO
TOP ■
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION ■
COMMENT
© 2005 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications
Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided
its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.