NSA Bert Gonzales proposes ‘revolutionary’ gov’t

MANILA, Philippines — Why target the House of Representatives when

she could head a “revolutionary” government?

A key ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo proposed on Sunday

that she be part of a military-backed transition government that would

reform the electoral system and amend the Constitution—all before the

2010 elections.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said the “revolutionary”

government could be patterned after the one established by former

President Corazon Aquino as soon as see assumed the presidency

following the 1986 People Power revolt.

“I’m proposing that we examine our experience during the Cory

revolution,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of

INQUIRER.net

) .

“GMA [Arroyo’s initials] should be part of the revolutionary

government that should also include the leadership of the two houses

of Congress, the judiciary, and the Church.”

Gonzales, who also heads the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng

Pilipinas (PDSP), said discussing his proposed revolutionary

government was better than speculating on whether Arroyo would seek a

House seat or whether her allies would succeed in fiddling with the

Charter.

He said he has been in touch with some leaders of both the Catholic

and Protestant churches in an effort to sell his proposal.

But he said he had no intention of personally tackling the matter with

Arroyo for fear of creating the impression that the proposal “was

coming from Malacañang.”

Arroyo, who is in Brazil for a state visit, has been mum about her

political plans after her term expires in 2010.

But she has made it clear that she was looking forward to the 2010

elections even if her congressional allies were seeking to amend the

1987 Constitution through a constituent assembly.

Gonzales said his proposed revolutionary government was not intended

to postpone the elections either.

“Hopefully, we can achieve two fundamental things at least with it,

that is to have credible elections and a new Charter before 2010,” he

said.

Gonzales said both objectives could be met even with about 11 months

to go before the synchronized national and local elections in May

2010.

He noted that it took Aquino only roughly nine months to establish a

“freedom” Constitution, a constitutional commission that produced the

1987 Charter, reorganize the bureaucracy and local governments, and

create the present Commission on Elections.

“If she was able to do all these in nine months or less, why can’t

we?” he said.

Reminded that Aquino’s efforts came amid the context of a popular

revolt, he said the current situation— that of a functioning

bureaucracy —should produce no impediment.

“Leaders of the three main branches of government should get together

and look at the situation of the country and discuss the possibility

of having a transition government,” he said.