Bayan warns US meddling in 2010 elections dubious

MEDIA RELEASE

July 6, 2009



Davao City – Bayan warned here today that the expression of possible interference of the US government in the 2010 national elections will dangerously lead to more interventions of the country’s economic and political affairs.



“The statement issued by US ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney expressing the need to pursue the 2010 national elections was not a simple gesture of concern. There is a need for the US to ensure the elections in 2010 for its agenda of having charter change to also push through,” Bayan spokesperson John Birondo said.



“The mounting protests against Gloria Arroyo’s Con-Ass and Cha-Cha have caused huge damage in the credibility of charter change in general. Issues of term extension for Gloria Arroyo and her cabals did not help in building the people’s confidence over the initiatives for charter change,” Birondo added.



“We see now a shift in the efforts of the Arroyo administration to continue with cha-cha as dictated by US. The 2010 national elections will pursue as other details of ensuring Gloria Arroyo’s top post as prime minister will come after the form of government is changed to parliamentary from the current presidential system,” Birondo warned.



“In anyways the whole thing will happen, Gloria Arroyo will surely benefit from Cha-Cha,” Birondo said.



Bayan reiterated that the declaration of national patrimony and sovereignty in the 1987 Philippine Constitution is a barrier to the full operations of foreign investments in the country. It limits the implementation of policies brought by the concepts and practices of globalization such as the Mining Act of 1995.



“The US economy trampled under recession has aggressively pushed the US government to find viable options for its survival. It is in this aspect that the Philippines’ semi-feudal and semi-colonial characteristic is sustaining the need of the US and other capitalist countries for cheap labor and raw materials and a market for its surplus products,” Birondo explained.



Bayan added that the denationalization, liberalization, privatization, and deregulation policies of globalization have annihilated the role of the government in decision makings involving local investments, taxation, employment, prices of basic commodities and services, food security, public utilities, and land use.



“The root cause of social and economic disorders in the country is systemic. The crisis that has permanently caused poverty and exploitation of the Filipino people for more than a century now can only be defeated through the people’s movements,” Briondo said.



“In any way or form, a US dictated charter change will further neglect and abuse the people’s civil and economic rights,” Birondo added.