http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100321-260029/To-save-republic-in-case-of-failure-of-elections
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MANILA, Philippines -- Saying that ``civilian authority'' should move early to save the duly constituted government from a possible failure of the May 10 polls, Senator Edgardo Angara called for the election of a new Senate president among the senators serving until 2013.
He also sought for the Church and business community to use their ``prestige and moral influence'' in averting an ``unprecedented'' power vacuum after the elections.
Interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer after he spoke on dzBB radio about the need for a ``civilian solution'' to the possible failure of the first ever automated polls in the country, Angara said that all 23 senators could meet and elect a new Senate president before the polls even if Congress was in recess for the election campaign.
``We can convene under our internal rules,'' Angara said in a phone interview.
On radio, Angara said there have been jitters on the possible takeover of the military should a failure of election occur because the country could be facing an ``unprecedented'' and ``unusual'' political situation brought about by a vacuum in the political leadership after June 30.
He said the president, vice president, Senate president and Speaker of the House have been set to step down from power midnight of June 30 and thus, there would be no ``interim'' president that can preside should the May 10 polls end up a failure.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Vice President Noli De Castro, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles will all step down from power on June 30.
``So we break the succession line, there's going to be a political vacuum,'' Angara said.
That's why analysts and even Malacañang have been saying that a takeover of the military -- as the "defender and protector of the people" in the Constitution, is not farfetched, according to Angara.
``If the civilian authority does not prepare for this, the military would certainly come in because it does not want the country to end up in chaos,'' Angara said. ``You really can't blame the military.''
But the senator warned that a military takeover could become ugly if competing factions within the Armed Forces of the Philippines vied for power.
Angara also said many businessmen he talked to had expressed their anxiety and apprehension over the possible failure of the elections.
Some even said they might close shop if this happened because of the uncertainty of the situation, he said.
``If you have this kind of high level anxiety and high level probability (of a failure of election occuring), there should be solution for this. It cannot be that you leave it to chance,'' Angara said.
The senator told dzBB radio that there were many suggestions for the Senate to resolve the problem before the terms of 12 senators expire. These included the suggestion for the 23 senators to elect a new Senate president among those with terms until 2013, he said.
The new Senate president could then act as the interim president should the May 10 polls fail, according to Angara.
He also acknowledged the suggestion by Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson that senators pick the senator who topped the 2007 senatorial race to be the Senate president.
The senators with terms until 2013 are Angara, Joker Arroyo, Benigno ``Noynoy'' Aquino III, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan, Loren Legarda, Manuel Villar Jr., Juan Miguel Zubiri, Gregorio Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV.
Angara called on the Church, business community, the academe and other religious groups to ``initiate the debate and discussion'' on how to avert a power vacuum in case of failure of elections.
``They can lend their prestige and moral influence to the process,'' the senator said.
He said politicians should not be the ones taking the initiative because they could be accused of serving their own interests.
Still, Angara said that the civilian solution should happen preferably before the May 10 polls.
Otherwise, he said ``even more powerful and intrusive interests will intervene that could nullify efforts at providing a Constitutional solution.''
Angara also said in the radio interview that electing a new Senate president was ``not so much a vote or lack of confidence in the present Senate president'' or Enrile.
``It’s an imperative, a necessity to do this for the survival of the republic,'' added Angara, who also pointed out in the radio interview that he did not want to take the initiative on this lest there be suspicion that he had any interest in the post.
He recalled that Enrile had accused him once of maneuvering to oust Enrile from power on the instigation of Sen. Manuel Villar, who was displeased by the support Enrile gave to the investigation of Villar on the C-5 road project funding.
Angara had denied he was offered the position by Villar.
Enrile himself had been warning since late 2009 that the military and the police who were bearing arms could move to take over the country should there be failure of the elections.
a
MANILA, Philippines -- Saying that ``civilian authority'' should move early to save the duly constituted government from a possible failure of the May 10 polls, Senator Edgardo Angara called for the election of a new Senate president among the senators serving until 2013.
He also sought for the Church and business community to use their ``prestige and moral influence'' in averting an ``unprecedented'' power vacuum after the elections.
Interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer after he spoke on dzBB radio about the need for a ``civilian solution'' to the possible failure of the first ever automated polls in the country, Angara said that all 23 senators could meet and elect a new Senate president before the polls even if Congress was in recess for the election campaign.
``We can convene under our internal rules,'' Angara said in a phone interview.
On radio, Angara said there have been jitters on the possible takeover of the military should a failure of election occur because the country could be facing an ``unprecedented'' and ``unusual'' political situation brought about by a vacuum in the political leadership after June 30.
He said the president, vice president, Senate president and Speaker of the House have been set to step down from power midnight of June 30 and thus, there would be no ``interim'' president that can preside should the May 10 polls end up a failure.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Vice President Noli De Castro, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles will all step down from power on June 30.
``So we break the succession line, there's going to be a political vacuum,'' Angara said.
That's why analysts and even Malacañang have been saying that a takeover of the military -- as the "defender and protector of the people" in the Constitution, is not farfetched, according to Angara.
``If the civilian authority does not prepare for this, the military would certainly come in because it does not want the country to end up in chaos,'' Angara said. ``You really can't blame the military.''
But the senator warned that a military takeover could become ugly if competing factions within the Armed Forces of the Philippines vied for power.
Angara also said many businessmen he talked to had expressed their anxiety and apprehension over the possible failure of the elections.
Some even said they might close shop if this happened because of the uncertainty of the situation, he said.
``If you have this kind of high level anxiety and high level probability (of a failure of election occuring), there should be solution for this. It cannot be that you leave it to chance,'' Angara said.
The senator told dzBB radio that there were many suggestions for the Senate to resolve the problem before the terms of 12 senators expire. These included the suggestion for the 23 senators to elect a new Senate president among those with terms until 2013, he said.
The new Senate president could then act as the interim president should the May 10 polls fail, according to Angara.
He also acknowledged the suggestion by Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson that senators pick the senator who topped the 2007 senatorial race to be the Senate president.
The senators with terms until 2013 are Angara, Joker Arroyo, Benigno ``Noynoy'' Aquino III, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan, Loren Legarda, Manuel Villar Jr., Juan Miguel Zubiri, Gregorio Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV.
Angara called on the Church, business community, the academe and other religious groups to ``initiate the debate and discussion'' on how to avert a power vacuum in case of failure of elections.
``They can lend their prestige and moral influence to the process,'' the senator said.
He said politicians should not be the ones taking the initiative because they could be accused of serving their own interests.
Still, Angara said that the civilian solution should happen preferably before the May 10 polls.
Otherwise, he said ``even more powerful and intrusive interests will intervene that could nullify efforts at providing a Constitutional solution.''
Angara also said in the radio interview that electing a new Senate president was ``not so much a vote or lack of confidence in the present Senate president'' or Enrile.
``It’s an imperative, a necessity to do this for the survival of the republic,'' added Angara, who also pointed out in the radio interview that he did not want to take the initiative on this lest there be suspicion that he had any interest in the post.
He recalled that Enrile had accused him once of maneuvering to oust Enrile from power on the instigation of Sen. Manuel Villar, who was displeased by the support Enrile gave to the investigation of Villar on the C-5 road project funding.
Angara had denied he was offered the position by Villar.
Enrile himself had been warning since late 2009 that the military and the police who were bearing arms could move to take over the country should there be failure of the elections.
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