Philippine Newspapers - Philippine Asian News Today

Former President Fidel Ramos urged President Macapagal-Ar­royo once and for all to make a clear declaration of her plans for 2010 otherwise it will prompt people’s anger which is being manifested in the protest actions against the move to amend the 1987 Constitution. In a speech at the Paman­tasan ng Lungsod in Manila during a leadership forum, Ra­mos was quoted saying, PGMA (President Arroyo’s initial) must make a clear and positive decla­ration that she will not delude our people and her select circle of Congressional cronies and fam­ily advisers with titillations about Charter change.

The former chief executive also warned Mrs. Arroyo of massive street protests by cause-oriented groups and ordinary Filipinos plus their manifestations of dis­content, anger, and outrage towards the ad-ministra-tion must be seen as people’s hunger for freedom from poverty, de­privation, and bad governance.

Ramos comment came as speculations continue to rise that Mrs. Arroyo is set to run for Con­gress as Pampanga’s represen­tative in next year’s election fol­lowing the disclosure of Agrarian Secretary Nasser Pangandaman that the latter will seek a congres­sional post.Pangandaman said he was just misquoted by the media.

Last week, a huge rally, the big­gest gathering so far of anti-Ar­royo forces, was held at Makati’s Ayala District to protest the pas­sage by the Lower House of a resolution urging the convening of a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to pave the way for amend­ing the Charter even without the participation of the Senate.

Critics of the move said admin­istration allies in the Lower House are pushing to extend the term of Mrs. Arroyo and other elected public officials beyond 2010 de­spite repeated denials by House Speaker Prospero Nograles and even Malacanang. They pledged to stage more protest actions in the coming days leading to the President’s State of the Nation Address next month.

With the rising opposition to moves to amend the Charter, Ramos said the President should also disclose her position on Charter Change so that suspicion will be eased. Mrs. Arroyo has supported Charter Change but only to amend the economic provision of the Constitution.