Joker sees Arroyo's hidden agenda

Senator Joker Arroyo, a pro-administration lawmaker, has accused President Gloria Arroyo of silently working for charter change and the extension of her term from 2004 to 2007.

"The picture as it stands now is that the majority of the senators will not agree because it will be self-serving and an embarrassment for them to work for the extension of their terms without elections," said Senator Arroyo (no relations to the president).

"Since last year, Malacanang marshaled a study group to work for the amendments to the Constitution," said Joker Arroyo, who reacted to the president's "feigning indifference" to the moves of the pro-administration congressmen in the lower house of Congress.

"There has been a team-up between the Palace and the House to push charter change," said the senator.

"The amendments being pursued by her allies in the lower house of Congress were aimed at bringing about an extension of her term. In effect, they just want to remove the term limit (on the presidency)," said Jose Abueva, former president of the University of the Philippines.

Many observers said the presidential palace has been hinting that Arroyo remains the best bet for a "transition president" after the May 2004 elections.

Norberto Gonzales, the presidential adviser on special concerns, meanwhile, hinted about the plan to extend the term of the president beyond 2004, to make way for an interim period for charter change.

Compared with presidential hopefuls, only the incumbent president would be willing to cut short her term in 2007, to pave the way for the adoption of amendments in the 1987 Constitution, said Gonzales, hinting that whoever is elected in May 2004 will also have to cut short the president's six-year term to three in case Congress approves the proposed charter change.

"We need a transition president, and the president is the ideal. I think she is willing to give up (half of her term if she wins in 2004). Anyway, she started as a transition president," Gonzales explained.

The president can seek election in 2004 if the Constitution is amended before the May polls, explained Gonzales, adding that she would need just three more years in 2004, to complete a six-year presidential term.

"If the president said before that she's not interested in 2004, that means she is willing to forego a full six-year term if she is re-elected in 2004," Gonzales said in response to the president's statement that she is not running in 2004.

As Vice President, she took over the remaining three years of former President Joseph Estrada's term, after he was ousted.

Meanwhile, the Social Weather Station, a private firm, said Arroyo recovered with a positive 14 net satisfaction rating in the second quarter of 2003, from a negative 14 net satisfaction in the first quarter of 2003.

In a survey from May 28 to June 14, 46 per cent were satisfied and 32 per cent dissatisfied with the government's fight against SARS, a problem which caused even greater public anxiety than the war in Iraq. Her approval of the U.S. war on Iraq caused her earlier negative popularity rating.