By Norman Bordadora ( Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100420-265345/Lambino-Opposition-could-have-ousted-Arroyo-through-parliament
MANILA, Philippines -- Administration senatorial candidate and Charter change advocate Raul Lambino has indicated that President Macapagal-Arroyo might no longer be in power if the proposed shift to a parliamentary government pushed through a few years back.
Responding to a question by Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino bet JV Bautista in a senatorial debate organized by ABS-CBN on Sunday night, Lambino chided the opposition for continuing their accusations against the Chief Executive while failing in their bid to oust her and charge her before the courts.
“Let us give the Filipino a chance to give their leaders a greater amount of accountability that if they commit something wrong we can immediately have them jailed,” Lambino said.
“The members of the opposition have always criticized Gloria. Were you able to oust her? Were you able to throw her into jail? Until now, your accusations continue against Gloria,” he added.
“If we had shifted to a parliamentary system, Gloria might no longer be in our society today,” Lambino said.
Lambino was apparently referring to the parliamentary system’s provision for members of parliament to vote out the prime minister or the head of government if he or she did something wrong and lost the confidence of the parliament.
Bautista had asked Lambino about what he would do with the corruption allegations against Ms Arroyo afte her exit from Malacañang.
In prefacing his question Bautista adverted to Lambino’s role in the moves to amend the Charter to adopt a parliamentary form of government.
“Perhaps, you want to make (Ms Arroyo) the prime minister,” Bautista told Lambino in obvious reference to giving the incumbent a chance in prolonging her stay in power under a different system of government.
In his rebuttal, Bautista told Lambino that it was good for Ms Arroyo that elections were scheduled this year otherwise the people would be ready to move for her ouster.
“But because there are elections this year, this President, instead of taking care of her grandchildren, is running for Congress and wants to return to power,” Bautista said.
“The challenge for the next government is to stop this,” he added.
There are allegations that Ms Arroyo is running for a seat in the House of Representatives in preparation for becoming prime minister after a shift to a parliamentary system initiated by her allies in Congress.
Other participants in Sunday night’s Harapan 2010 senatorial debate were Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo and Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan, who exchanged allegations against each other.
Ocampo accused Palparan of being behind human rights violations against unarmed members of Left while Palparan accused Ocampo of being the leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
“We condemned the Ampatuan massacre. We also condemned the other incidents of violence committed by other human rights violators,” Ocampo said.
“(According) to the report of the Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations and even the US State Department, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the top human rights violator,” he added.
Palparan is a retired general of the Armed Forces.
Ocampo said the communist New People’s Army has acknowledged its wrongdoing if it committed any atrocity and had an “internal law” to discipline its members.
Palparan kept on saying that Ocampo has always been the true leader of the CPP and the NPA and asked that the communists just lay down their arms and cooperate with the government.
“I don’t have a gun with me,” Ocampo countered. He said that while he became a member of the communist party at one point in his life, Ocampo said he left the CPP a long time ago.
The other participants in the debates were former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who proposed a permanent peace panel; lawyer Adel Tamano, who pushed for a representation of Muslims in the Senate; Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who vowed to re-file the Reproductive Health Bill in the Senate; former Sen. Francisco Tatad, who advanced the pro-life stance against abortion and contraception; Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, lawyer Jo Imbong and former broadcaster Kata Inocencio.
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100420-265345/Lambino-Opposition-could-have-ousted-Arroyo-through-parliament
MANILA, Philippines -- Administration senatorial candidate and Charter change advocate Raul Lambino has indicated that President Macapagal-Arroyo might no longer be in power if the proposed shift to a parliamentary government pushed through a few years back.
Responding to a question by Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino bet JV Bautista in a senatorial debate organized by ABS-CBN on Sunday night, Lambino chided the opposition for continuing their accusations against the Chief Executive while failing in their bid to oust her and charge her before the courts.
“Let us give the Filipino a chance to give their leaders a greater amount of accountability that if they commit something wrong we can immediately have them jailed,” Lambino said.
“The members of the opposition have always criticized Gloria. Were you able to oust her? Were you able to throw her into jail? Until now, your accusations continue against Gloria,” he added.
“If we had shifted to a parliamentary system, Gloria might no longer be in our society today,” Lambino said.
Lambino was apparently referring to the parliamentary system’s provision for members of parliament to vote out the prime minister or the head of government if he or she did something wrong and lost the confidence of the parliament.
Bautista had asked Lambino about what he would do with the corruption allegations against Ms Arroyo afte her exit from Malacañang.
In prefacing his question Bautista adverted to Lambino’s role in the moves to amend the Charter to adopt a parliamentary form of government.
“Perhaps, you want to make (Ms Arroyo) the prime minister,” Bautista told Lambino in obvious reference to giving the incumbent a chance in prolonging her stay in power under a different system of government.
In his rebuttal, Bautista told Lambino that it was good for Ms Arroyo that elections were scheduled this year otherwise the people would be ready to move for her ouster.
“But because there are elections this year, this President, instead of taking care of her grandchildren, is running for Congress and wants to return to power,” Bautista said.
“The challenge for the next government is to stop this,” he added.
There are allegations that Ms Arroyo is running for a seat in the House of Representatives in preparation for becoming prime minister after a shift to a parliamentary system initiated by her allies in Congress.
Other participants in Sunday night’s Harapan 2010 senatorial debate were Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo and Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan, who exchanged allegations against each other.
Ocampo accused Palparan of being behind human rights violations against unarmed members of Left while Palparan accused Ocampo of being the leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
“We condemned the Ampatuan massacre. We also condemned the other incidents of violence committed by other human rights violators,” Ocampo said.
“(According) to the report of the Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations and even the US State Department, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the top human rights violator,” he added.
Palparan is a retired general of the Armed Forces.
Ocampo said the communist New People’s Army has acknowledged its wrongdoing if it committed any atrocity and had an “internal law” to discipline its members.
Palparan kept on saying that Ocampo has always been the true leader of the CPP and the NPA and asked that the communists just lay down their arms and cooperate with the government.
“I don’t have a gun with me,” Ocampo countered. He said that while he became a member of the communist party at one point in his life, Ocampo said he left the CPP a long time ago.
The other participants in the debates were former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who proposed a permanent peace panel; lawyer Adel Tamano, who pushed for a representation of Muslims in the Senate; Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who vowed to re-file the Reproductive Health Bill in the Senate; former Sen. Francisco Tatad, who advanced the pro-life stance against abortion and contraception; Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, lawyer Jo Imbong and former broadcaster Kata Inocencio.
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