Erap calls for anti-Cha-cha protest; Reds issue warning

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph Estrada on Friday called on all Filipinos to join the protest march against the bid to amend the Constitution on December 12 in Makati City. Estrada's call - the latest of several warnings against the administration plan to amend the Charter - was aired during a speech at the OFW Family Club Grand Family Day celebration at Star City in Roxas Boulevard. In that speech, he criticized administration congressmen for pushing for Charter change now instead of crafting bills to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) amid the world financial crisis. "Marami sa ating mga OFW ngayon ang nag-uwian na dahil nawalan sila ng trabaho at maaaring marami pa ang mawawalan ng hanapbuhay , pero ang ating mga kongresista ang ina-asikaso pa ay ang Cha-cha o Charter change ... Gusto ng mga bayarang kongresista na sila ang susulat ng bagong Saligang-Batas ...," he said in a press statement. He then appealed to the crowd to stand up against Charter change. "Papayagan ba natin na ang mga bayaran at corrupt na mga kongresistang ito ang magbago sa ating Saligang-Batas? Kaya ako ay nananawagan sa inyo na dumalo sa malawakang protesta laban sa Cha-cha sa Biyernes," he said. Cha-cha, Arroyo's last dance? For its part, the Communist Party of the Philippines ordered the New People's Army (NPA) to intensify tactical offensives to "punish" those pushing for Cha-cha and prevent the regime from perpetuating its hold on power. "Revolutionary forces led by the CPP fully support the Filipino people in their struggle to stop Cha-cha and the ruling clique's attempts to prolong Arroyo's rotten and oppressive rule. The CPP calls on the Filipino people to make Arroyo's latest Cha-cha gimmick her last dance," it said in a statement on its Web site. It added that as anti-Arroyo and anti-Cha-cha movements gain momentum, the NPA will intensify its offensives nationwide. "As mass demonstrations and other forms of protest intensify, the Red fighters of the NPA and other revolutionary forces will be intensifying their tactical offensives nationwide to punish the US-Arroyo regime and prevent it from perpetuating its hold on power," it said. The CPP said Mrs Arroyo is becoming more and more desperate to hold on to power beyond 2010, as she is aware she faces a string of charges once she steps down from power. Worse, it said the Arroyo family and its cohorts are now brazenly revving up their Cha-cha offensive in a last-ditch effort to prolong Arroyo's rule through the most convoluted "legal" means. "Right after getting rid of the fourth impeachment case against Arroyo, her own sons, in-laws and lackeys in Congress have choreographed one resolution after another to push their Cha-cha offensive," it said. The CPP said the Arroyo clique's latest resolution calls for convening Congress as a constituent assembly to force Cha-cha. Aside from this, it said Malacañang is further banking on the forthcoming recomposition of the Supreme Court to knock down any further legal resistance to Mrs Arroyo's "Con-ass" scheme. By the end of 2009, practically the entire Supreme Court will be composed of Arroyo appointees, it noted. With the Supreme Court in her pocket, the CPP said that Mrs Arroyo plans to employ the military and police to crush the mass demonstrations and other protests expected to erupt against 'Con-ass' in order to prevent them from snowballing into a mass uprising against her rule. Should this be not enough, the CPP said she still has the option of imposing "emergency rule" or outright martial law, with the "state of emergency" declaration in February 2006 serving as a dress rehearsal. "But Arroyo is making her biggest miscalculation. Cha-cha is turning out to be the climactic battleground between the US-Arroyo regime and Filipino people who see it as Arroyo's last straw in her desperation to prolong her rule. With patriotic and democratic forces at the core, the broadest national united front is now rapidly forming against Cha-cha,"it said. "Millions are expected to join mass demonstrations and other forms of protest versus Cha-cha and all efforts to prolong Arroyo's illegal rule. The more Arroyo and her ilk force through with Cha-cha, the more vigorous the people's resistance will be," it added. Bishop's warning Meanwhile, a senior Catholic bishop similarly warned the Arroyo administration against ignoring people's desperation, which he likened to a big and deadly time bomb. Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop Oscar Cruz said such desperation once it explodes "neither sees who are killed nor cares what it destroys." "So too when people are desperate, woe to all those whom they perceived as their oppressors, and to those especially whom they know as their exploiters. Now, it cannot be said that the 'Call'—pleading, alarm, warning—has not been made and sounded," Cruz said in his Web log. He said Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Angel Lagdameo already led four other bishops, including Cruz, in calling for radical action against graft and corruption. Even business groups have called for such change and have voiced opposition to Charter change, especially at this time. "One, positive action is mandatory. Two, an upright government is essential. Three, there is a better future for the Filipinos," Cruz said.- PR/GMANews.TV