Pro, anti ChaCha sentiments 'heat up' in ABS-CBN TV 10 gab
ABS-CBN's Atty. Jobert Peņaflorida,
Atty. Dan Cartagena, Atty. Joshua Alim
and Atty. Domingo Oso on the panel of
the forum on People's Initiative held at
the University of San Agustin sponsored
by ABS-CBN TV-10 Iloilo. At right, Board
Member Cecilia Capadosa airs her
sentiments on the issue. On the
foreground right of Capadosa is
ABS-CBN Iloilo Station Manager Charie
Ginete-Ilon. F.Hibionada
Key personalities for and against charter change gathered over the weekend in a public forum initiated by ABS-CBN TV 10. With the cooperation of University of San Agustin's Sigma Alpha Lex fraternity, noted Ilonggo lawyers matched off with fellow lawyers and Guardian International Incorporated's Bishop Nilo Tayag.
Dubbed "Cha-cha via People's Initiative (PI): Ok bala sa mga Ilonggo?," the forum saw pro-PI advocates Carlo Fortuna, national president of the Philippine Councilors' League (PCL) and secretary-general of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Raul Anlucotan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Bishop Tayag. Anti-PI and anti-chacha advocates were represented by lawyers Dan Cartagena and former number one City Councilor Joshua Alim. Board Member Domingo Oso identified himself to be anti-PI however clarified that he is for charter change.
There is a need for change and PI is the only best option left for the citizenry, proponents argued while saying that efforts in the past failed to correct the present "no longer acceptable and no longer responsive" Constitution.
PI as pushed was defended by Bishop Tayag as the mode which allows the people being the 'principal' to speak. Such as he dismissed constitutional convention nor assembly while saying, "the PI starts with the masses for how can the agents (referring to elected officials) be greater than the people?".
Anlocutan for his part echoed the Bishop's sentiments while adding that "it is now time to help cause change."
Fortuna on the other hand laid down the premise of the wisdom in embracing PI as cha-cha mode and stressing that as such, the law remains to be "inadequate" in addressing the problem posed by constitutional amendments.
Oppositors however in Cartagena and Alim argued that not only is PI wrong but 'cha-cha' moves altogether is a big mistake.
"We do not need it now," Cartagena stressed while pointing out that PI as a recourse falls short on what the Constitution allows. "There is a big difference on amending and revising it."
This, as Alim shared the objections of Oso on how the manner of PI is being pushed by the government.
"Let us stand and be counted," he quipped.
"The government-led people's initiative is a subversion of truth and a mockery of our democratic institution. It should be stopped. Let us not be instruments of deception for we in government have the moral obligation to teach the truth and speak on the truth to our constituents because the truth will set us free," Oso ended.
Saturday's forum also gathered 'reactors,' Board Member Cecilia Capadosa, woman lawyer Maricar Hiballes among others. ABS-CBN TV 10 top brass were likewise present including station manager Charie Ginete-Ilon, lawyer-broadcast journalist and professor Jobert Peñaflorida and News Director Gemma Villanueva.