Honor Cory's memory, drop Charter change, Arroyo told

Be afraid, be very afraid. Opposition leaders have warned President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo against clinging to power through Charter change, saying the unity displayed by Filipinos during former President Corazon Aquino's burial could be a potent force against the chief executive. “The number of people mourning for Mrs. Aquino should serve as a warning to (Arroyo). The time has come for Mrs. Arroyo to be afraid; be very afraid," said San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, chairman of the United Opposition (UNO)-National Capital Region. “To really honor the memory of Aquino, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should categorically state that the Presidential elections will be held in 2010. Likewise, Congress should altogether withdraw Cha-Cha," he added. Exploiting Cory's death A Malacañang spokesperson accused opposition leaders of politically exploiting Mrs. Aquino's death. "These people are using the death of the icon of democracy for their personal interest," deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez told GMANews.TV on Thursday. He said the move for Charter change "is not an executive issue, but an issue of the Congress." Mrs. Arroyo’s critics claim that the 2010 elections might not push through because of the President’s alleged plan to stay in power beyond the end of her term next year. They accuse the administration of "creating" situations for the President to justify calling for a state of emergency or declaring martial law. Critics also say it could be possible that Mrs. Arroyo will seek a congressional post representing her home province of Pampanga. [See: Arroyo visits Pampanga again, her 21st in 6 months] They surmise that while the administration insists that there will be elections, the polls would happen under a parliamentary form of government where Mrs. Arroyo would be elected as prime minister. Mrs. Arroyo's allies at the House of Representatives are pushing for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution through the convening of a constituent assembly. The present Charter, which contains several anti-dictatorship provisions, was ratified during the Aquino administration. Hundreds of thousands of people across economic sectors showed their love and sympathy for the democracy icon who taught the world that authoritarian regimes could be toppled through nonviolent means. Mrs. Aquino, the 11th president of the Philippines, died 20 days before the 26th death anniversary of her husband, Filipino martyr Benigno Aquino Jr. “Cory’s death has awakened the people. She has bridged the generation that took part in EDSA 1 with the younger generation who are now aware that the freedom they enjoy was earned through struggle against a dictatorship," said Jejomar Binay, UNO chairman and Makati mayor. “I am certain that if Mrs. Arroyo pushes through with her selfish agenda, the spirit of Cory Aquino will rally the people. Mrs. Arroyo faces a political upheaval if she goes through with her plans," added Binay. [See: Outpouring of support for Cory a reminder for Arroyo to behave, says Binay] Civil disobedience On Tuesday, the Council on Philippine Affairs (COPA) said Filipinos' collective grief over Mrs. Aquino’s death may snowball into political moves that may include acts of civil disobedience against the Arroyo administration. Civil disobedience is a form of nonviolent resistance against laws, demands, or commands of a government as practiced by India’s Mahatma Gandhi against British rulers in their former colony. The action – the very same effort used by the late president to help topple the Marcos dictatorship – may take place nine days after the former leader’s burial, said Pastor "Boy" Saycon, secretary-general of COPA. [See: Civil disobedience vs Arroyo may build up after Cory burial] “Several events will call for this [kind of action]," Saycon told GMANews.TV on Tuesday night, the last day of the beloved leader’s wake at the Manila Cathedral. “Heightened emotions" currently being felt by Filipinos over the democracy icon’s death will further the fight for good governance, he explained. “The struggle for better government will take on another form and another phase," he added, saying the Arroyo administration “will be killed by kindness." At the same time, Saycon dismissed “radical moves," which besides being “farfetched," goes against Mrs. Aquino’s principles. Earlier efforts to coordinate the COPA’s moves with the military have ended in failure, he admitted. “We cannot allow weapons of mass destruction to take a stronger position over prayer and that is the legacy of Mrs. Aquino," he said. “COPA has been reactivated," Saycon added, referring to the group which counts Aquino’s brother, Jose “Peping" Cojuangco, as member. A former Tarlac representative, Cojuangco is currently the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee. In 1985, Mrs. Aquino called for civil disobedience against the Marcos regime that would later force the dictator to call for snap elections the year after. In 1986, Marcos, his family members, and cronies would be exiled in Hawaii, owing to a people power uprising that began with a boycott of products made by Marcos' crony companies. - with reports from AIE BALAGTAS SEE, GMANews.TV