Arroyo Calls for Constitutional Reform

Arroyo calls for constitutional reform
Staff and agencies

Monday July 25 2005

The Guardian

Gloria Arroyo, the president of the Philippines, who is fighting for her political life amid corruption claims, today called for sweeping constitutional changes.

Ms Arroyo - who has been accused of vote-rigging during last year's general election - urged Congress to abandon the current presidential system in favour of a parliamentary democracy.

"The system clearly needs fundamental change, and the sooner the better," the president said during her annual state of the nation address.

Speaking shortly after opponents had filed impeachment proceedings against her, Ms Arroyo said in her 20-minute speech that her nation had become too polarised to make the changes needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

While the economy was "poised for take-off", the political system was a "hindrance to progress", she told a joint session of Congress and a gallery of government workers, army and police generals and members of the Roman Catholic clergy.

"It's time to start the great debate on charter change," she said.

Ms Arroyo suggested Congress should set up a constituent assembly to tackle the issue of charter change, but made no mention of a timeframe or whether she would be willing to step down early.

Opponents have been calling for her resignation since she admitted phoning an election official during the counting of last year's national poll.

During the conversation - a recording of which emerged last month - Ms Arroyo and the official allegedly discussed ways to ensure a 1m-vote lead for her. She has since apologised for phoning the official, but has denied manipulating the election's outcome.

The tired-looking president pointed to her administration's accomplishments in generating 4m jobs over the last four years, fighting drugs, curtailing kidnappings and easing a bloody Muslim separatist insurgency in the south.

She said the economy had grown by more than 6% last year, and was continuing to expand despite high oil prices.

Pro-impeachment congressmen had peach roses on their desks, while Arroyo supporters had lemon plants - often used in the Philippines to keep annoying insects away.

The impeachment complaint claims Ms Arroyo "cheated and lied" to obtain and hold power. Her aides have moved to block it on a legal technicality.

"By so flouting justice and the rule of law, she has committed an unforgivable outrage against the Filipino people," the claim says.

Around 6,000 police, along with a contingent of anti-riot air force personnel, provided a security cordon around the House of Representatives building in suburban Quezon City.

Nearby, some 20,000 protesters demonstrated to demand Ms Arroyo's resignation, while around 5,000 voiced their support for her.

Analysts believe a parliamentary system, in which MPs could vote out a sitting government, would ease the upheaval that accompanies the ousting of a leader who has lost the ability to govern.

The first "people power" revolt, in which the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in 1986, was widely hailed. But the second - which forced out Ms Arroyo's predecessor, Joseph Estrada, in 2001 - was criticised for setting the bar too low to throw out an elected government.

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