Militants to start protest actions vs Chacha

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang’s fresh moves for Charter change may yet be a uniting factor for Filipinos as they will unite in protest against it, militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said Thursday. Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said they are now helping organize the so-called "formidable anti-chacha united front" that will stand in the way of the Charter Change express. "The Arroyo administration is really asking for it. It is courting mass protest actions on a nationwide scale. The next month will be crucial in generating momentum versus charter change. The Filipino people will have to deliver an Olympian effort in trying to defeat once and for all Arroyo's ambitions of staying in power," Reyes said in a statement on the Bayan website. "The anti-charter change campaign will be done at the grassroots level, in the communities, parishes, offices, schools and factories. Charter change and term extension will be opposed every step of the way," he added. Bayan will kick off its anti-Chacha protest actions on Friday with more actions lined up in the coming weeks should the Arroyo administration persist in its moves. The group is part of a network of organizations and personalities called People's March or People's Movement Against Arroyo's Charter Change. Members of the network include National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr., as well as student councils and other religious formations. "We are consulting with other anti-Arroyo forces in mapping out the next steps in our efforts to stop Arroyo's cha-cha once and for all. Cha-cha is like a zombie. It's dead but if refuses to die," Reyes said. Reyes recalled that in 2006, the Catholic Church and other religious, business, the political opposition and the progressive mass movement united to stop Charter Change. At that time, the Palace was moving to amend the Charter via people's initiative and a railroaded constituent assembly. "No matter how hard Malacañang tries to deny its ambitions of a term extension, nobody is buying it. This government suffers from zero credibility. Everyone is suspicious of the self-serving interests of Mrs. Arroyo," said Reyes. Bayan said Malacañang and its allies in Congress have not provided any assurance that charter change before 2010 will not lead to self-serving moves to perpetuate Arroyo in power. "She lied before about not running in 2004. She lied again regarding election fraud. Nothing in her track record shows that she won't lie again regarding the 2010 elections," Reyes said. He added Charter change by whatever mode, at this time under the Arroyo regime, will always be suspect. People know that with all her perceived crimes against the people, Arroyo would not want to step down and lose immunity after 2010, he added. - GMANews.TV