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Davao’s Nograles Taking Heat for Role in ‘Tyrannical’ Cha-Cha Attempt

Published: December 8, 2006   |     |     |   Subscribe: RSS or Email    

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House majority floorleader Rep. Prospero Nograles of Davao City has been getting a lot of flak (here, here, here, and here) for his key role in the push for charter change and what has been routinely described this week as a “massacre of the Constitution” in the Philippine Congress, which Nograles and his partymates did — tyrannically, according to many — even while the country was still shell-shocked by the effects of typhoon Reming and other concerns. As the country hosts the 12th Asean Summit in Cebu, and as the people’s attention is focused on the event, Arroyo’s men in Congress have vowed that they will not stop the Cha-cha train.

Activists protest in front of Nograles’s office in Davao City on Friday.

The leftist group Bayan condemned Nograles in a rally in front of his office in Davao City today.

Below is Bayan’s press release:

Davao City – Local militant groups here under the multi-sectoral
umbrella of progressive organizations the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
(BAYAN) - Southern Mindanao expressed condemnation over the hasty action
of Palace allies in the House of Representatives to push charter change
via Constituent Assembly.

The militants here picketed in front of the office of Davao City
Congressman and House Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles and
displayed dismay over what the protesters described as “another
desperate move” by proponents of Cha-Cha to amend or revise the 1987
Constitution.

Last Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted 116-25 adopting a
motion amending its rules on constitutional amendments. The said
amendment deleted the last sentence of Section 105, Rule 15 of the House
rules, which reads: “The adoption of resolutions proposing amendments to
or revision of the constitution shall follow the procedure for the
enactment of bills.”

As a result, the lower chamber of the congress may now proceed with
amending or revising the constitution with out having to go through the
usual legislative process where the Senate’s concurrence is required.

Activists protest in front of Nograles’s office in Davao City on Friday.

“The move had now paved favorable conditions for the Malacañang-backed
majority bloc in congress to pass resolutions for the speedy amendments
of the constitution. With the Senate brushed aside, hence, congress may
now move to convene as a Constituent Assembly and discuss amendments of
the charter.” BAYAN Southern Mindanao Acting Secretary General Ariel
Casilao said.

Casilao added that the congressmen made it even more apparent to the
people their true color in the changing the charter – “that they’d
exhaust all means to postpone the Senatorial Elections, and secure their
posts until a permanent parliament is installed.”

“Now it can be stressed for the millionth time that the charter change
proponents in the lower chamber of congress do not really represent to
put forward changes for the people but for the proliferation of their
political ambitions.” Casilao said.

The militants also lambasted Representative Prospero Nograles for
“consistently portraying the ultimate lapdog of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo.” The militants also expressed disappointment over Nograles for
“daydreaming of becoming the Deputy Prime Minister by next year in
exchange of the people’s aspirations of genuine change.”

“We are now geared towards mobilizing the people to stop this run away
train. Railroading schemes of pro Cha-Cha congressmen will be matched
with broadest mobilization of the people starting Monday when congress
plans to convene Con-Ass.” Casilao said.