Press Release
October 17, 2008

ROXAS: DEFEAT OF MOA ONLY THE BEGINNING OF LARGER STRUGGLE CHARTER CHANGE NEXT IN ADMIN AGENDA, SOLON WARNS

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today warned the Administration that the successful battle against the GRP-MILF Peace Panel Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD) was not the end of the fight against its wanton abuse of the law and its secret plans to extend President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's stay in power.

He vowed to lead the campaign to stop Malacañang's moves to revive Charter Change to extend President Arroyo's term of office or make her remain in power through a shift to a parliamentary system of government, and any other veiled attempts to split the country or maintain power beyond constitutional limits.

"We have to remain vigilant," he said.

"Ngayon pa lang ay naririnig na natin ang ingay ng mga nais magpalit ng ating Konstitusyon. At dapat nating paghandaan ang mga susunod na hakbang pa para muling buksan ang isyu ng term extension (Even now, we hear of attempts to change our Constitution. We should be ready to fight any attempts at term extensions)," he added.

Roxas said there appears to be a continuing attempt to force Charter Change on the public as the end of President Arroyo's term nears, noting that a people's initiative had already been pushed by the administration over two years ago only to be junked by the Supreme Court.

"Ang problema ay hindi naman tumigil ang tugtog ng Cha-Cha noong binasura ng Korte Suprema ang people's initiative (The reality is that the Cha-Cha tunes did not stop even after the Supreme Court junked the people's initiative)," he said.

"Handa akong pangunahan ang laban sa bagong Cha-Cha (I am ready to lead the fight against this new conspiracy to foment Cha-Cha)," Roxas said.

Instead of pushing Charter Change, the Arroyo Administration must take steps to correct the errors and abuses it committed in pushing for the dead MoA-AD, he said.

In fact, he added, the Arroyo Administration must begin by making amends, starting with a reformed peace panel composed of more credible people trusted by Mindanaoans, to come up with a genuine peace agreement in close consultation with all constituencies.

The cost to the government for relief assistance to evacuees of Northern and Central Mindanao, since the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the signing of the MoA-AD, has already reached more than P160 million.

Figures from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) indicate that the raids of the MILF in mid-August this year and the counter-attacks by the military have so far affected 368 barangays, 77 municipalities, five cities, and nine provinces in Northern and Central Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The continuing battles have led to a total of 102 civilians and combatants killed, and 121 others injured as of October 11.

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