LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Cory already had her chance but failed

For the second time, former President Cory Aquino has urged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make the supreme sacrifice of resigning from office to save the country from further turmoil and economic devastation.

With the way she talks, Aquino thinks that her works are heaven-set and that she possesses the moral ascendancy to rally the Filipino people.

This is the Cory Aquino during whose term as president the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was passed with the noble intention to give lands to the landless but exempted the Cojuangco family-owned 6,000 hectare Hacienda Luisita.

This is the Cory Aquino during whose term as president several farmers and peasants holding a peaceful rally infront Malacañang Palace were mercilessly massacred in Mendiola.

This is the Cory Aquino whose family owns the Hacienda Luisita Inc. wherein several people were recently killed in a bloody demolition of a labor strike.

And we are talking of Moral Ascendancy? Now then, to prevent more turmoil and violence to happen in this beloved country of ours, I ask with all humility former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino to make the supreme sacrifice of keeping her mouth shut and just keep her opinions, be it political or otherwise, to herself.

She already had the chance to make this country great again but failed.

KEY DUTERTE
Osmeña Blvd.,
Sambag 2, Cebu City

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Shall we dance?

Cha-Cha or not to Cha-Cha is a major question that the Philippine people and not some power crazed second-rate politicians must decide what the answer will be. Former President Fidel Ramos insists that the solution to the current political crisis is an immediate change to a parliamentary form of government.

I am in total disagreement with FVR. This is not the time to be making a change in the form of government for the Philippines. In case FVR never learned a fundamental lesson in life, there is an old saying that applies: "Haste makes Waste". Shame on you FVR, you thought you knew better or are you trying to deceive the Philippine people again? Thinking about it, both you and former President Cory Aquino were true professionals at that political game.

If a change in the form of government is to be made it needs to be taken to the people after there is political stability in the Philippines and not before then. Until then the present constitution of the Philippines must be followed. There can't be another people power movement - the constitution of the Philippines can't be violated again as it was with EDSA 2. If I remember correctly, FVR was a major player in that "party".

Observation strongly suggests that a very high percentage of the population does not understand or have accurate knowledge of the Philippine constitution. Regardless as to why a President leaves office during his or her term the Vice President automatically becomes President. In regards to understanding how the government is suppose to function and the importance of the constitution, this should be taught beginning in the elementary grades.

The present form of government is fine. Likewise a Parliamentary democracy is fine. But there is a potential problem: Neither will function well unless there are two major political parties.

Example: In the United States there are the Republican and Democratic parties, in the United Kingdom there are the Conservative and Liberal parties. In the Philippines there are nearly as many parties as there are candidates and "members" often jump ship because they think they might have a better chance of being elected.

There is another very major factor as pointed out in a recent editorial entitled: "Matter of attitude". Unless the attitude of the Philippine people change, especially that of our leaders, the Philippines will always be a poor and politically unstable country.

Alex Lee
Lapu-Lapu City
Mactan Cebu