GMA's bogus PIG drive, a conspiracy against the people - FDC
The Freedom from Debt Coalition - Iloilo Chapter issued a warning sign to the public not to fall prey to the bogus signature drive dubbed as People's Initiative of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or PIG in pushing for Charter Change.
Ted Aldwin Ong, FDC Iloilo's deputy secretary-general urged the public not to sign any petition paper or documents with the purpose of changing the 1987 Constitution.
"This initiative is of GMA and her cronies alone and not a genuine people's initiative coming from the people in the grassroots. There is no popular clamor in the community and barangay level for a shift from a bicameral-presidential to a unicameral-parliamentary system of government or charter change, stressed Ong.
Furthermore, Ong reiterated that "the outcry of the Filipino people is not charter change but for GMA to step down at once. Charter change will not bring about reforms in our government; it will only prolong the crisis and sufferings of our people under the authoritarian tendencies of Mrs. Arroyo."
The local chapter of the nationwide advocacy group joined in the press conference held March 24, 2006 at the Amigo Terrace Hotel with the Iloilo Multi-Sectoral Group Against PIG - a broad coalition composed of different civil society organizations in Iloilo condemning the signature drive pushed in the local level by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
"The concerted effort of City and barangay officials and government agencies such as the DILG in this campaign is a conspiracy against the Filipino people, a clear violation of Article XVII, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution for it is not a direct proposal from the people making it a bogus initiative," emphasized by FDC in a statement.
"Our elitist system of government is collapsing and GMA will come down together with it. Charter change might delay this eventual collapse but the elite regime will come to an end. It's about time that we establish a transitional revolutionary government and reclaim what is ours as a sovereign people - a government of the people, concluded Ong.