Press Release
June 3, 2009

Press statement of Senator Loren Legarda

On Con-Ass Resolution

The railroading by the House of the resolution providing for a constituent assembly to propose constitutional amendments is a direct challenge to constitutionalism and public opinion. It ignores the provisions of the Constitution providing that the Senate and House shall vote separately on proposal constitutional amendments before them. It ignores public opinion which is 66 percent against charter change at this time.

It is lamentable that the majority of the honorable members of the House of Representatives should conform to an administration plot to perpetuate its power by changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. It is now increasingly clear that President Arroyo has no intention of holding presidential elections in 2010. Instead the plan is for her to run for member of Parliament in Pampanga and for prime minister in a parliamentary system.

I will join our people in opposition to such a conspiracy.

On Fil-Am Activist's Abduction

The affidavit of a Philippine-American activist, Melissa Roxas, that she was abducted allegedly by a military group and tortured is another damning evidence that human rights are being violated with impunity in our country. Melissa is now safely in the United States after her harrowing six days of torture and captivity.

Her frightening experience will further aggravate protests against our government by human rights organizations in the United States and the Philippines. An earlier statement by the Human Rights Commission that no such kidnapping occurred further shows the incapability of our institutions to protect human rights.

If the present administration cannot protect our civil and political rights as guaranteed by our Constitution, including the rights of free speech and to seek redress of grievances, then our people must see to it that the next administration shall do so and bring to justice those who violated human rights.

On Government spending

The statement by a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official that the government is not spending enough to stimulate the economy as it edges on recession has dubious implications. The Congress has already appropriated P300 billion for economic stimulus in the face of the global economic crisis, resulting in growing unemployment and greater poverty among our people. In fact, the administration has been strangely quiet about how the stimulus package is supposedly being spent.

Is the administration deliberately tamping down stimulus spending in order to generate "savings" for the coming 2010 election year? Is it the plan to amass "savings" in order to bolster election spending in 2010 to muster support for administration candidates, and possibly for a plebiscite to change the form of our government?

I urge our people to be vigilant.

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