Martial law in Maguindanao may lead to Cha-cha, No-El, analyst says

The martial law in Maguindanao may lead to yet another attempt to change the country’s Constitution or worse, a no-election scenario, according to a political analyst. Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's imposition of martial law following the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao could be the first step toward Charter change (Cha-cha). “The joint congressional session to deliberate on the proclamation may be used as an opportunity for Cha-cha. Alam mo naman itong administrasyong ito, hangga’t mailulusot, lulusot (You know this administration, it will wriggle out in any way it could)," Casiple said in an interview with GMANews.TV Saturday night. The political analyst also said that while Mrs. Arroyo had already filed her certificate of candidacy for representative last Tuesday, this did not necessarily mean that she would turnover the presidency to her supposed successor. “Being a congresswoman is different from being a president. I think Malacañang is just keeping its options on how to stay in power open," Casiple said. Casiple likewise warned that the the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao could be Mrs. Arroyo’s way of testing the waters for the possibility of putting the entire country under military rule, and cancel next year’s elections. “Warlords are not confined to Mindanao. All this administration needs is an excuse to project a national scenario of lawlessness," he said. The timing of the declaration – barely five months before the elections – all the more raises suspicion on Arroyo’s move, according to Casiple. “Late na ang martial law na ito. Dapat simula pa lang nagdeklara na kung gusto talaga nilang maaresto ang mga may kasalanan (This martial law is late already. If they really wanted to arrest the perpetrators, then they should have declared martial law early on)," he said. Casiple said the administration should immediately place all suspects under government custody and dismantle all private armies in the area to ensure the public that it is sincere in its objectives in declaring martial law. “You can do this in a few days. The longer the martial law stays, the more people become suspicious," he said. - ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV