Press Release
November 24, 2008

LIBERAL PARTY THUMBS DOWN CHA-CHA

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today said the Liberal Party will strongly oppose the Arroyo Administration's attempts to railroad Charter Change to prolong its regime of corruption and disregard for human rights.

"Alam naman natin kung ano ang tunay na motibo nitong Cha-Cha, at hindi ito para sa kabutihan ng mga taong bayan. Kaya tinutulak itong Cha-Cha ay para manatili sa poder ang mga nakaupo sa pwesto ngayon (We know the true motive for this Cha-Cha, and it's not for the good of the people. The reason Cha-Cha is being pushed is to extend the stay in office of those in power now)," said Roxas, who met this afternoon with former senators Vicente Paterno, Leticia Ramos-Shahani and Santanina Rasul to discuss the issue.

The Ilonggo senator said Charter Change without corresponding reform in political institutions will mean nothing, and would most likely even cause greater confusion and disorder as a result of the changes in the type of government.

"Kapag binago ang Saligang Batas, mawawala ba ang pangungurakot sa gobyerno? Mawawala ba ang paghihirap ng ating kababayan? Imbes na mag-Cha-Cha, dapat asikasuhin muna ang paghanda para sa pandaigdigang krisis (If the Constitution is changed, would corruption be removed from the government? Would poverty disappear? Instead of Cha-Cha, preparations for the global crisis should be made)," he said.

Roxas said the Senate remained firm in its stand that any changes to the Constitution via a constituent assembly would have to be approved by both houses of Congress voting separately. The Senate has 16 incumbent members who aired this view in a resolution in the 13th Congress, including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

He added that any changes to the Constitution must be done after this administration, and through a duly-elected constitutional convention.

"Kung babaguhin ang Saligang Batas, dapat gawin ito sa pamamagitan ng constitutional convention sa 2010, kung saan hindi makikinabang ang kasalukuyang administrasyon at mga opisyal sa mga pagbabagong ito (If the Constitution is changed, this should be done through a constitutional convention in 2010, where the current administration and its officials will not benefit from any changes)," he said.

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