No To Con-Ass!

This blog has been online for over a year now but I have been very sober in my criticisms about the government or any government institution. I may have a few rants about government officials or politicians in general but never a direct attack on anybody or the administration. As a person who is concerned about the welfare of the country and of my countrymen, it is taking a great deal of willpower on my part not to express my political views on this medium.

Being true to my slogan (Celebrating Filipino pride), I have been blogging about stories and articles that will make all Filipinos proud. This is the least that I can do to help lift the spirits of my countrymen despite all the odds and the negative news that has been dominating the country.

However, we can only take so much. People need to make a stand about issues that will sooner or later affect the entire country, even our future generations.
I believe that dissent as well as rage is warranted for the events of June 2, 2009, where 170 or so Congressmen passed a callous and repugnant House Resolution 1109 or the move to convene a Constituent Assembly or Con-Ass. Their intention is to amend or to revise the Constitution despite the clamor to put an end to this issue and concentrate on more important problems of the country.

Various mass actions are expected to be staged beginning next week in protest of the constituent assembly (Con-ass). I just hope that protesters can do away with violence when holding rallies and just express their outrage in a peaceful non-violent way. .

All of these are in response to the way the resolution was passed. It was railroaded and passed on a marathon session without respect to the Constitution. They even passed it using voice voting as if it is just an ordinary bill, without even the benefit of prudent dialogues and debates.

Yes, the majority has the numbers to pass the resolution and it is because of their maneuvering that their intentions become questionable. The timing is really bad. Why now when we are less than a year before the 2010 elections?

If there are changes that need to be made in the constitution, so be it. But the time for amending the Constitution will come. The time is not now, and the process is definitely not this way. Not through a sham, and a shameless process. The country is on the edge of recession, their motive of a possible term extension of President Arroyo is questionable and its legal basis is debatable.

No wonder, Con-ass, was called different names--from "immoral" to "treachery of the highest order." And I can only agree. I just hope that for a change, our government officials will heed the public's clamor.

Vox populi, vox dei. The voice of the people is the voice of God.