Ramos scored for criticizing GMA's frequent foreign trips

MANILA, Philippines - Look who’s talking.

Militant lawmakers yesterday said that former President Fidel Ramos does not have the right to criticize President Arroyo for her frequent trips abroad and her reported plan to amend the 1987 Constitution because he did all these during his term.

Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan reminded the former head of state about the failed People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action (Pirma), which the Supreme Court struck down before Ramos’ six-year term ended in 1998.

Just like the Senate-less constituent assembly of Mrs. Arroyo, Ramos’ mode then was via people’s initiative, both of which have one agenda – to perpetuate themselves in power: for Ramos’ term to go beyond 1998 and Arroyo’s term to be stretched beyond 2010.

“FVR is no different from GMA. Was he not the most traveled president before GMA? Did he not have ambitions to change the Constitution during his term? To show sincerity, he should completely cut his ties with GMA,” suggested Ilagan.

It should not be mere rhetoric, according to her, because all this talk only shows Ramos’ lack of sincerity. Most militant lawmakers suspect that Ramos’ “reform, perform and transform” warning to Mrs. Arroyo is simply posturing to gain more leverage.

Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod said Ramos does not have the credibility to make the call, since Filipinos remain impoverished because of his anti-people economic policies such as privatization, deregulation and import liberalization.

Maglunsod said that it was during Ramos’ time that people started paying for the onerous contract that his government entered into with the independent power producers, which placed a fixed amount of power being paid by consumers even if the full amount was not consumed.

He expressed belief that Ramos’ apparent tantrums against the Arroyo administration may very well be construed as a mere political positioning because he has not severed his ties at all from the present government.

Ramos urged Mrs. Arroyo to make up for her shortcomings in governing the nation in her remaining 10 months in office, as the country “is worse now than before.”

He appealed to political leaders, particularly to perceived presidential candidates, to be less concerned with their ambitions and help prevent the deterioration of the quality of life of Filipinos and the country’s image before the international community.

Presidential prerogative

Meanwhile, Speaker Prospero Nograles said President Arroyo can bring as many members of the House of Representatives that she needs in her foreign trips, depending on what issues will be discussed by both parties.

“It’s the President’s call who among (the) legislators she will bring, depending on the subject matters or topics to be discussed in the trip,” he said in a text message, in reply to a query whether the House delegation would have a ceiling.

The delegation of Mrs. Arroyo, which included 28 congressmen including Nograles, drew flak recently after US newspapers reported that the entourage spent $20,000 (nearly P1 million) for a dinner in New York’s Le Cirque and $15,000 (P750,000) at Bobby Van’s Steak House in Washington.

When asked whether the airfare and accommodations of congressmen who went with the President have already been fully paid, he replied in the negative. “The statement of accounts of air fare and hotels has not yet been sent to the House.”