Migrante Australia with its allied organisations called for the ouster of GMA and stop Cha-cha on a radio roundtable
Migrante Australia members presented the reasons why Filipinos overseas must join in the growing movement stopping the US-GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) regime’s push for Cha-cha (charter change), on a 30-minute radio roundtable (part 1 of the radio roundtable on Con-ass [constituent assembly] and Cha-cha) aired over the popular Pinoy Radio 98.5 fm and streaming live via internet worldwide on 30 June 2009 from Sydney. Listeners sent text messages and called for the ouster of GMA.
One of the speakers on the radio roundtable, Ms Jane Corpuz-Brock of Migrante Australia and Chairperson of PAWA (Philippines-Australia Women’s Association) outlined the reasons why the Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) and her collaborators are madly pushing for charter change with the support from the US and other imperialist countries. Jane emphasized that GMA and her collaborators fear that GMA will lose her immunity if she would be no longer in power. GMA could face legal proceedings and could be punished for all the crimes of her government, especially cases of graft and corruption and all human rights violations against the Filipino people. Jane also said that the US and other imperialist countries support cha-cha so that the GMA government is able to put measures for their free market and neo-liberal agenda, especially the 100% ownership of the Philippines’ natural resources, completion of the US full military facilities and bases and also to strengthen the structures that will allow dumping of US surplus products in the Philippines. It was said that this is one of the US measures to ease the impact of the global financial crisis on their economy.
The news item on the case of Fil-American human rights worker, Melissa Roxas and other Filipino community workers who were alleged to have been abducted and tortured by the Philippine military while doing a medical mission in Tarlac, Philippines was discussed on the radio broadcast. Jane said that this is one of the cases of abductions and torture of human rights workers that the GMA’s military and government will have to answer. This case must now be heightening the level of fear on GMA because once she would be out from government and lose immunity she could be punished.
Most of the text messages and phone calls that were received at the radio station asked what Filipinos could do in Australia about con-ass and cha-cha. Another speaker, Mr Cesar Baronia of the Migrante Sydney Neighbourhood Association in Innerwest of Sydney responded and invited all listeners and their friends to join the Migrante protest action on chacha and constituent assembly (con-ass) on the 27th of July 2009 at the Philippine Consulate in Sydney. Cesar also encouraged all Filipinos to sign the on-line petition against con-ass and cha-cha.
Also representing the Lingap Migrante-association of Filipinos in Western Sydney, Mr Bernie (Boyan) Mallary had warned all Filipinos that GMA and her collaborators have trampled and made a mockery of the Filipinos’ right to vote. He said that we as Filipinos must now muster our will, resources and energies to stop cha-cha by ousting GMA and her collaborators.
Ross Aguilar and Aldwin Papa, the BJs (broadcast journalists) of Pinoy Radio said that many listeners called during the radio roundtable on cha-cha. There was heavy traffic of callers on the phone and it was not possible to have them on air. Ross and Aldwin decided to have part 2 of the radio roundtable to continue the discussions on cha-cha and con-ass on Monday, 6 July 2009, within the time slot of 8:00 – 9:00 pm on Radio 2000 FM (98.5)-streaming live on the internet. This will give chance to other callers to express their views on con-ass and cha-cha.
