Philippines: Oppose Ramos's proposal on "High Commission of Elites"! - Campaign for "gobyerno ng obrero at ordinaryong tao!

Press Statement of the Partido Socialista
(Member of Coalition for National Salvation/CNS)
Metro Manila, July 8, 2005

It is no surprise that the double-faced Fidel Ramos finally revealed his proposal to create a High Commission of (Elite) Leaders to control the popular movement demanding a truly radical change in governance. FVR once again is protecting Gloria Arroyo against the people's mounting clamor for her ouster and punishment for stealing the presidency. This elitist proposal can only come from a declared protector of GMA while letting loose his cabal led by Gen. Abat to frustrate the calls for a revolutionary transition through their proposed military junta. We denounce it as a ploy of the elites with U.S. blessings!

If this is not a ploy hatched with GMA's approval we dare the Arroyo government to include FVR in the list of leading personalities charged with sedition cases. GMA filed a sedition case against former NBI deputy director Samuel Ong for exposing Gloria-gate, but would not lift a finger to arrest Gen. Abat for his outright seditious statements to the media. Before GMA unleash any attack against the expanding movements for real social change, she is well advised to confront FVR in his covert operation to unseat her.

If this is not leading to the hidden agenda of U.S. imperialism, then why did FVR include his priority of doing a Cha-Cha that has long been being pushed to open up the economy to foreign interest. Should we be surprised if later Speaker JDV will lead FVR's list of elitist leaders with his known agenda to sacrifice our national patrimony and local interests for the elites' search for profit together with foreign partners? No, we will not be surprised if the other U.S. stooges led by Am-Boy Kit Tatad will also dupe the opposition to abandon the fight for truth on Gloriagate and join a commission to save elite rule!

We call on the trade union movements and sectoral organizations of marginalized citizens to campaign for a revolutionary transition government that will realize our dream for a government controlled by "Kongreso ng Obrero at Ordinaryong Tao". Continuing a bankrupt rule of the country's elites is a ploy to prevent the formation of truly democratic government with a legislature ensuring direct representations from the ranks of workers, farmers, and other marginalized sectors such as urban poor, youth, and women. We call on all sectors upholding the demand for a meaningful system change to commit to such a truly transformative agenda in creating an alternative government after GMA's ouster.

The Partido Socialista, as part of the civil society networks of the Coalition for National Salvation (CNS-Linda Montayre), will mount parallel campaign for 60% direct representation of workers and ordinary citizens in a legislature to be formed under a new revolutionary transition government. Under "Kongreso ng Obrero at Ordinaryong Tao", politicians shall only fill-up 40% of a new legislature through their political parties.