Pia to GMA, House allies: Disown, abandon Con-Ass now

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today supported calls for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop the Con-Ass initiative being pushed by her allies in the House of Representatives or else face massive protests that could finally unseat her.

"Mrs. Arroyo can choose to put a stop to this madness if she wants to. How can she support such an obviously ill-conceived, ill-timed and illegal scheme, unless she herself is aspiring to benefit from it?" asked Cayetano.

The lady senator said the President should finally break her silence by explaining her position on Cha-cha and her reasons for supporting it.

"If in fact she is not for it, we all know she can easily convince House leaders, including her two sons, to back off and focus instead on urgent measures that our country genuinely needs."

Cayetano also doubted the urgency of Charter change, pointing out that the economic provisions being mouthed by its proponents were only being used as bait by administration stalwarts who are afraid of losing their hold on power after the 2010 national elections.

"Have you heard them cite any studies or show scholarly proof that would justify the urgency of revising the economic provisions of the Charter before 2010? In fact, I have yet to see any of them boldly come out in the public to explain which economic provisions they specifically want to amend, and why the rush."

"If the people truly have something to gain from Con-ass now, then Malacañang and the proponents in the House should be taking pains to explain what benefits are to be expected, and how come they cannot achieve these without Cha-cha."

"Otherwise, they might as well admit their real selfish motives and at least be transparent. Magpakatotoo na lang sila dahil huling-huli naman ng taumbayan ang tunay nilang hangarin," she concluded.