BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 26) – Joining the triumphant celebration on the Supreme Court’s decision against the peoples initiative as a mode of changing the constitution, the militant Tongtongan Ti Umili (TTU or Peoples’ Forum) calls for the peoples’ vigilance as the proponents plan for another mode of charter change – the Constituent Assembly (ConAss).

ConAss, as their plan b, is being pushed by administration congressmen as House Resolutions by Cong. Jaraula and Cong. Prospero Pichay are subjected for deliberation, claimed the TTU in a statement. In order that the ConAss will be adopted as a means of changing the constitution, both houses must acquire 2/3 votes from their total membership.

Early this week, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition for peoples initiative by the Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines as the petition actually seeks for revision of the constitution, particularly the changing of the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. The SC also decided that the petitioners acquisitions of the more than 6 million signatures are questionable.

The constitution provides that revision of the constitution cannot be done by peoples initiative as the latter is a mode only allowed of introducing amendments or partial change to the constitution.

“We assert that it is a bogus peoples’ initiative as it has been funded by the government money and coordinated by Malacanang through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG),” TTU added.

TTU pointed out not to lose sight of the core issues of ChaCha, which include: the extension of incumbent officials’ term including Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; further restrictions on civil and political rights; removal of prohibitions on foreign troops, bases and nuclear weapons; and, further opening up of the country’s patrimony to foreign exploitation, all of which are anti-people’s measures.

“Here in the Cordillera, it will mean more destructive mines, dams and other similar projects which grab our land and resources that are the sources of sustenance and livelihood,” the TTU ended. # Via Nordis