What if the Cha-cha will make us parliamentary?

Thinking Filipinos who use their coconuts and could not be bought with a hundred peso "ayuda" do not really buy this canard that only economic provisions will be amended by Cha-cha. They can tell that bag of lies to the marines. The truth is that the economic provisions are only the decoy, to say the least, and this whole conspiracy is hidden in a virtual Trojan Horse, to say it all.

The presidential hopefuls for 2028 may end up crying over spilled milk if and when my conspiracy theory proves out true, that this so-called Charter change for economic provisions only will open the Pandora's Box and will actually transform our system of government to that of parliamentary. That means, BBM can become president forever and Speaker Martin Ferdinand as prime minister till kingdom come. Why economic reforms to attract foreign investments when the Palace already bragged about that each time BBM travels, he brings home billions of dollars of putative foreign investments. That means, there is no need to change our Charter.

We cannot, for the life of us, take the words of the Palace hook, line and sinker. His father, Ferdinand E Marcos Sr. already did that parliamentary experiment in the mid-seventies. On November 29, 1972, the Constitutional Convention, under Martial rule, adopted a new Constitution that entirely changed the system of government. The Constitution was "ratified" under rather questionable circumstances by raising of hands rather than secret vote. The presidential form under the amended 1935 Constitution was changed to a modified parliamentary form. Congress (both the Senate and the House) was abolished and was replaced by a unicameral Batasang Pambansa. The members of the Batasan, not to exceed 200, by then, were elected by districts, for a term of six years.

Under this system, BBM can run for MP (member of Parliament) in Ilocos Norte and he will win hands down even if he will be opposed by Farinas or his own sister Imee. The first lady can run in Negros. Sandro can run in another district in Ilocos. Speaker Martin can run in Leyte. His wife can run in Liloan, Cebu. And they will be in control of the parliament. They will, of course, be opposed by the Dutertes of Davao and Edsel lagman of Albay and perhaps Leni Robredo of Naga and Leila de Lima of Iriga. But the Marcos-Romualdez clan is formidable. They will most likely be supported by the Villars of Las Pinas, the Gatchalians of Valenzuela, the Garcias of Cebu and the Dimaporos of Lanao and the Ampatuans of the ARMM.

And so, all the posturing and saber rattling done by such characters as Senators Raffy Tulfo, Vice President Sara and Speaker Martin shall all end up to nothing when the Palace moves the cheese" and changes the rules of the game. I have a strong feeling that Inday Sara has already smelled a rat. That is why she is running in 2025 for a post (either for the City Hall or for a seat in the Lower House).

Manong Digong may join Bato, Bong and Tol in the Senate. He is already going around to mend fences. Remember RRD is far more astute than BBM, GMA and Pinoy combined. The Dutertes, like the Marcoses, have their Plan B, Plan C and Plan D. Raffy Tulfo should choose between the two camps of the Monatagues or the Capulets or will vanish like thin air. That is how the political cookie crumbles in the land of the Gomburza.