THE Bohol United for Transparency, Accountability, Peace and Security (TAPS), a loose organization composed of farmers, fishermen, students, professionals, public officials was formed to fight against the attempt to tinker the 1987 Constitution.
Leading the launching as TAPS convenors were Engr. Inting Loquellano and former Candijay first town kagawad Robert Olaer.
No less than former Cabinet secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr., businessman Norris Oculam, social media influencer Willy Ramasola, City councilor Atoy Torralba and sectoral representatives attended and participated in the TAPS launching last week at the JJs Seafood village resto.
In its statement furnished to media, TAPS hasten to say, “It is now evident that the Romualdez-Marcos-Araneta (RMA) families want to perpetuate their stay in power by hook or by crook.”
The grand design is deliberate to satisfy the RMA ambition of House Speaker Martin Romualdez to succeed his cousin incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in 2028, it said.
It said that the RAM plan started when it kicked out senior deputy House speaker then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The move irked Vice-President Sara Duterte, who is a close ally of Arroyo, prompting her to quit from Lakas-CMD.
Seen by TAPS that Romualdez would not win the presidential race against Duterte in 2028, the RMA rushed the move to tinker the constitution thru the unpopular “People’s Initiative” (PI) launched by People’s Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action or PIRMA.
The Catholic church in its recent pastoral letter to the faithful called this move as “Piso Initiative.”
If successful, it would change the form of government from presidential to parliamentary which could catapult Romualdez as the Prime Minister.
And the Senate led by Senate president Migz Zubiri was not happy of this plan. It issued a statement signed by all senators that they are against it.
Another kink that TAPS criticize is the funding of the alleged PI. It slammed the bid for PI “to use taxpayers’ money to buy themselves a new Constitution to suit their needs which inserted P12 billion funds to the Comelec and P731.45 billion” unprogrammed funds for 2024 but clearly for ayuda, fully aware that Romualdez cannot win in a presidential election.” And it is unconstitutional, it added.
The statement also pointed out that while RMA is preoccupied with the thought to perpetuate in power, the present administration “is remiss in many of its responsibilities for the welfare of the people.
“These are rise in prices of goods and services, rise in crimes, drugs are back, smuggling is rampant and corruption is reported everywhere and higher.”
The statement said that RMA sees the “Filipino people led by Duterte as the main stumbling blocks to their designs.”
Thus, the RMA unleashed its relentless attack against the Dutertes instead of addressing the prevailing problems besetting the country. (ricobedencio@yahoo.com)
