Aumentado slams critics of "Visayas Republic"

The president of the League of Provinces in the Philippines and Bohol governor Erico Aumentado yesterday defended the creation of a separate republic and said Visayas leaders are bent on pushing with the plan if President Arroyo was ousted.

Aumentado also hit critics of the proposed Visayas Republic for not looking at the proposal in its entirety. He said critics only focus on the proposal and ignore the conditions set by the proponents.

The Visayas governors made it clear that a separate republic will be created only if Arroyo is ousted unconstitutionally. Aumentado, however said, that he respects the critics' opinion.

Aumentado insisted that the proposal is not a ploy by Malacañang. He said that they did not consult Arroyo beforehand when they announced the plan to create a separate republic.

He said they are serious with their plan. A technical working committee would be created to study the legal framework and the possible constitution of the proposed republic.

Aumentado said that the study of the committee would also serve as preparatory to a federal form of government. He said if the constitution is amended and the framers of the new constitution would decide to change the form of government into a federal system, the Visayas would be ready by then. This is because of the advance study made by the technical committee headed by Negros Oriental governor George Arnaiz. - Fred P. Languido