BONUS TRACKS:

Atras Con-Ass in Davao City

Partylist representatives Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza and Teddy Casiño wave to Davao City residents during the "Atras Con-Ass" motorcade around the city. The three partylist representatives earlier launched a petition signing campaign right in the district of House Speaker Prospero Nograles calling on him and other congressmen to abandon all attempts to convene Congress into a constituent assembly when the Lower House resumes sessions later this month. (Photo by CJ Despuez)

BONUS TRACKS:

Rep. Satur Ocampo at PUP

MEDIA RELEASE
27 June 2009

Cotabato folks resist Con-Ass; convene People’s MARCH

COTABATO CITY – People of Cotabato City has now took a stand – No to Charter Change. This is the declaration of the convenors during the alliance formation of People’s Movement Against Charter Change (People’s MARCH)–Cotabato City Formation on June 16 here.

The People’s MARCH, an alliance composes of 17 organizations and individuals from church, academe, students, Moro and civil society groups, vowed to oppose the Malacanang-backed passage of Congress’ House Resolution 1109 on June 2 which seeks to convene the Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) paving way for the amendments of 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sr.Genevieve Damaso, OND a convenor of People’s MARCH, said, “This government had never lost reasons to fool the Filipino people and defy law just to push propositions beneficial for their own selfish interests. They went into such lengths to resurrect Charter Change solely to protect political ambitions of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”

Pres. Arroyo’s term expires next year. Under the present Constitution, the president is not allowed to run for reelection.

Sr. Damaso added that there are more pressing issues and problems that Filipino people are facing and

should be addressed rather than putting into priority any moves on amending the constitution. “This is certainly a self-serving on part of GMA”.

The Con-Ass was arranged and agreed by 174 Arroyo allies in the Lower House led by Davao City first district representative, House Speaker Prospero Nograles. Maguindanao second district representative Simeon Datumanong also voted for the passage of the resolution with thoughts not of the poor plight of Internally Displaced Persons in Maguindanao but of the 20-million peso payoff, as promised by Arroyo.

Moreover, convenor Sammy Maulana of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), said that “the constitutional amendments not only allow Arroyo to stay in power beyond 2010 but it will also allow 100% foreign ownership of vital state assets and natural resources.”

“The people especially the Bangsamoro will continue to suffer landlessness, hunger and deprivation of social services. This is already the scenario in Maguindanao. With Arroyo’s political self-interest and the economic self-interest of foreign capital, the Bangsamoro people will forever be dreaming of reclaiming their ancestral domain,” Maulana said.

Pastor Orlando Zambrano of United Methodist Church here, also a convenor, calls all sectors to stand together and oppose House Resolution 1109 and the Charter Change citing “this is the most righteous act a Christian and Muslim should do – dissenting Arroyo and its allies’ barefaced display of thirst of power and self-interest.”

The People’s MARCH will wage continuous campaign in the city to show its concerted effort to defend integrity, national sovereignty and dignity as a people against tyranny and further plunder.

On June 30, the alliance will conduct an interfaith prayer rally at the City Plaza followed by a big multi-sectoral forum on charter change and launching of Peoples March Cotabato on the seventh of July. ##

People’s MARCH- Cotabato City Unity Statement
 

We, the people’s movement against charter change or people’s march, express our strong opposition to House Resolution 1109, which would convene the House of Representatives into a constituent assembly (Con-Ass), and any move to amend the constitution perpetrated by the politicians who currently hold power.
 

The Filipino people cannot entrust the future of this country in the hands of those who profess to be selfless leaders while instigating or deliberately acting as complicit in massive graft and corruption, human rights violations and the sellout of our sovereignty.
 

A switch to a parliamentary form of government is not the key to solving any of the problems the country is facing. The problem does not primarily lie in the form of government or in the constitution. It is in the kind of leaders running this country.
 

We condemn the incessant attempts of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her minions to press on with charter change despite the public’s disagreement. Their greed and lust for power are truly appalling.
 

We believe that charter change is nothing but a ruse to keep President Arroyo in power and to advance the interests of the elites, foreign capitalists and the unscrupulous politicians.
We also believe that President Arroyo, fearing for her and her family’s prosecution for their involvement in corruption charges, human rights violations and other crimes against the Filipino people, is exhausting all means to remain in power.
 

We vow to stir the minds of the people to the true agenda of charter change and its would-be consequence to the lives of Filipinos. We vow to mount pressure against charter change. We vow to resist the money, power and influence of those advancing cha-cha.
 

We will not allow a despot and her cohorts to continue to plunder our coffers, trample on the sanctity of human rights and give up our vital resources to foreigners.
 

We call on everyone to take a stand and join us in resisting cha-cha. Now is not the time for apathy. We cannot afford to be fence sitters when the good of the country and our fate as a nation are at stake.