Arroyo scraps plan to change constitution amid public uproar

PHILIPPINES: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, faced with a public uproar and the prospect of massive street protests, on Thursday scrapped plans for a constitutional change that would have abolished the opposition-led Senate.

Arroyo, who has campaigned for overhauling the legislature to ease political instability, changed course after the influential Roman Catholic Church and opposition groups assailed moves by majority administration lawmakers for them to start drafting a new charter.

The bishops, opposition activists and former President Corazon Aquino, the country's pro-democracy icon, called for a prayer rally on Sunday to condemn the moves, which the House of the Representatives reluctantly shelved early this week.

"Philippine democracy will always find the proper time and opportunity for charter reform at a time when the people deem it ripe and needful, and in the manner they deem proper," Arroyo said in a statement.

"It is time to gather together all the energies of our people for the continuing work ahead - maintaining our economic strength, ensuring the social payback of economic reforms, and helping distressed communities back to their feet," she said.

Arroyo has argued that the current U.S.-style bicameral Congress causes gridlock, and has advocated a shift to a unicameral, parliamentary system led by a prime minister.

Her ally, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, used the pro-administration majority to push through a proposal for House members to convene as a body tasked with drafting proposals for a new constitution, which they wanted put to a plebiscite together with congressional elections next May.

With stiff opposition from the Senate and threatened by street protests, de Venecia backed down.

He invited senators to join the House in passing a resolution for the public to elect delegates to an assembly to draft a new constitution - instead of lawmakers doing it themselves. The Senate responded by saying it would consider the move only after the May elections.

Arroyo said Wednesday there was "no more reason" for Sunday's protest, but vowed to respect the right to hold the rally.

s Manila, Thursday, AP