By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.
Naga City, 8 February 2011 (Constitution Day)

Right now, the prevailing majority sentiment seems to be that charter change is not urgent nor even a priority for the country.  For many, it is not even needed, so they ask: Why?  Those who have recently and prominently called for it early in this new administration, notably former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, spoke on the 1987 Constitution having spawned a failed state, one crippled by a weak electoral system, social inequalities and a politically vulnerable judiciary. 

By Soliman M. Santos, Jr.
Naga City, 21 August 2011

Is this not putting the cart before the horse?  Why not wait for the Comprehensive Compact outcome of the GPH-MILF peace negotiations first?  For all we know, constitutional amendments may not be necessary.  But actually, we already know that they will be necessary if there is to be an enabling core framework that would be qualitative better in terms of self-governance than the existing constitutional provisions Article X, Sections 15-21 on autonomous regions.  We already know from existing drafts and statements of the MILF that the form of self-determination that they seek has been expressed through catch words like notably “sub-state juridical entity,”  “asymmetrical state-substate relationship,” “asymmetrical structure through compact of free association,” “free association of state or union,” “associative relationship,” “free associated state,” “associated free state” and the like which are unfortunately not readily understandable.

By Patricio P. Diaz | Wednesday| September 21, 2011

III. Candid Notes 1 (Premises and Alternatives)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY  – In their official and press statements, the three top figures in the Aquino III Government’s peace team – OPAPP Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles, Panel Chair Marvic Leonen and Panel Member Miriam Coronel-Ferrer — have repeatedly emphasized that the proposed “GPH ‘3 for 1’ Solution” is “principled, realistic and practical”. While these features must not be belittled we have to candidly take note of their veracity.

MILF proposal is designed to keep the country intact, not dismembered

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