The few vs the many; Amal Clooney files GMA case with UN

Bayanko continues its fight through crowdsourcing to give marginal sectors (the many) against the oligarchy (the few). Recently, the battle lines were more sharply drawn with alliances being put together between the Aquinos, the Cojuangcos, and possibly the Marcoses as well to put the strength of their power and wealth behind Jejomar Binay. Constitutional reformists consider this as the main challenge to ordinary Filipinos. This is not acceptable. Make no mistake about it. The battle lines are being drawn.

In this context, Bayanko appeals to all Filipino patriots to put their act together if the country is to change and reform government from a presidential unitary system to a parliamentary federal system.

In a statement that Bayanko issued in social media, it deplored calls to oust the Aquino government without setting up a credible civil authority to take its place for a transition period.

In this context, Bayanko appeals to all Filipino patriots to put their act together if the country is to change and reform government from a presidential unitary system to a parliamentary federal system.

In a statement that Bayanko issued in social media, it deplored calls to oust the Aquino government without setting up a credible civil authority to take its place for a transition period.

“It is much easier to topple a government than to run one. There are those who want President Aquino to resign but they have not weighed the consequences. Will the simple resignation of the president solve the problem? Or will we be trading one problem for another with the installation of a vice-president who is perceived to be corrupt?” Bayanko adviser Jose Alejandrino wrote this column.

Bayanko remains committed to a peaceful and orderly transition to a new constitutional order to include the marginalized sectors of our society.

We want the consensus of the major sectors to present a united front. An ExCom composed of the heads of the federations and groups have partnered with Bayanko for this purpose.

The group has served notice that unless President Aquino and Congress heed this clamor for constitutional reform, they will face the wrath of millions of our members who are no longer willing to accept the old system of money and showbiz as “government”. Any rush to PCOS elections will be considered a threat to the vision of reform Filipinos will fight for.

The political battle has shaped into a battle of the few against the money. The few being the oligarchs who use the resources of the country for their personal interest and the many being the middle class and the poor struggling despite claims of a fast-rising economy.

In a conversation recently with a die-hard Aquino supporter inviting us to return to the Cory fold and support Noynoy, she suggested a Jojo Binay-Kris Aquino team would be the best to ensure the continuity of Noynoy’s legacy. She will remain nameless because she remains our backchannel to dialogue with the Palace. Binay and Kris may have appeal to the ‘masa’ but judging from the reaction in the social media, how can she be sure? Will the Filipinos accept the domination of the political system by the Aquino-Cojuangco oligarchy and Binay family dynasty? If not, then they must be ready for the inevitable confrontation.

They may be few but the oligarchy has the power and money to push its way through. “We must never underestimate Danding Cojuangco’s political shrewdness as founder of the NPC backing Binay, as Rep. Mark Cojuangco had  announced, and the financial clout at his disposal combined with the showbiz appeal of Kris Aquino,” adds the Bayanko adviser.

As previously stated, Bayanko’s prescription for a Bangsamoro must be all-inclusive of all Muslim groups in a federal state or two based on a parliamentary federal system enshrined in a new Constitution where no federal state can break out unilaterally from the union without the consent of all Filipinos, following the Spanish model, unlike the BBL which proposes that its ratification be limited to the people in the MILF territory.

The ultimate goal of the MILF was stated by MILF founder Hashim Salamat when he founded the group.

‘To make it very simple, our demand is independence. It means having a separate territory, a separate government, a separate armed forces, the power to tax, the power to exploit our natural resources, the power to conduct foreign affairs, the power to negotiate with other countries, including Manila’.”

Why is the Aquino government blind?

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For those who are asking whatever happened to Amal Clooney’s work on former President Gloria Arroyo’s case. This column is happy to announce that the case has been presented to the United Nations. Despite a hectic schedule flying back and forth from Hollywood and London for her wedding to famous actor George Clooney,  Amal continued her work to bring the GMA’s continued imprisonment to the attention of the world body. For this a media strategy is being readied so the case is brought before an international public. Personally, I think it is good that we have put our foot in through Arroyo’s case

The draft was submitted to the UN Committee for Violations of Human Rights under a special procedure. Apparently there are two ways that violations of human rights to bring such cases – one through a regular procedure and another through a special procedure. I will write more lengthily on the approach chosen by Amal and the lawyers of Mrs. Arroyo. This is a breakthrough not just for the human rights of a former president of the Philippines and its international repercussion but it can set a train of other human rights violations of Filipinos that have not had the benefit of redress available through the world body. For that reason the Arroyo case will be an important precedent for the Philippines.

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Here is the letter to this column from GMA’s Philippine lawyers.

“This is to update you on the case that Atty. Amal Clooney filed with the United Nations Human Rights Council  for and in behalf of  PGMA .

The Individual Complaint of PGMA for violation of her human rights was prepared and written by Atty. Amal Clooney with the help and assistance of Atty. Modesto Ticman Jr., legal counsel of  PGMA and Atty. Larry Gadon, legal adviser and family friend of the Arroyos . Atty. Ticman and Atty. Gadon supplied all the facts and detail of the case based on existing records. They also held a teleconference with Amal Clooney to talk about other information relative to the PCSO plunder case.

The complaint was filed on Feb  26 , 2015.”