Wow! Pre-new year's fireworks display! Now, Ramos is really talking! Read all about it in the Inquirer!

Ramos said he had received minutes of the con-com's discussions until December 12. Apparently that was when the con-com has yet to take flights of fancy to propose a NO-EL and term limit extenders. But something mysterious happened within the last 12 hours after Tabako received his last report until it was hastily endorsed to Congress. A looney mystery, if I may add.

Yesterday at ANC, senator Frank Drilon was saying pretty much the same thisng as Ramos. Self-respecting legislators would have none of it. And I did not know that Gene Orejana could have said anything more well-pronounced than when he said "our politicians have lost all pretensions to morality..." braav-vo! I suppose Gene should put up his own blog.

A sidebar story to this is the ongoing sidewar between the Palace and the Lopez Empire over Meralco's unpaid refund to its commercial clients and the stick behind government's back threatening a possible takeover of the power firm. Whoah! And that side-by-side with the palace's dismantling of the Coujuangco Empire's Luisita estate. What an interesting time to live in...

Back to Ramos... he said he's not giving Gloria an ultimatum. He just wants her to announce in public before January 1, 2006 that she oppose any such move to extend her own term of office along with the wolves in congress who wants the same. I believe him. It's not an ulimatum. Just plain diversionary tactic.

What diversionary tactic? Lest we forget, the real issue is whether the public wants charter change in the first place. Now they've skillfully shortcircuited the apparatus of public debate so that the issue now becomes whether or not we want the NO-EL, thereby cementing public support for cha-cha.

Last I heard, about half of the population do not want cha-cha. And those who do want it are divided on the issue of whether they want it now or later, specifically after Gloria.

In fact I'm dead wrong. The real issue is not whether the public wants charter change in the first place. The real issue is whether Gloria's presidency is legitimate or not.

They almost had me there.

Ramos is worried that federalism "could lead some regions to secede". I'm sorry but this worry betrays his utter lack of vision and leadership. His distrust for the people in the regions surely must make them want to secede from Manila as soon as The Ramos Parliament is in place.

Abs-cbn quoted Tabako as saying. . ..
"We are a country of thousands of islands. We must first strengthen our connections with each other, strengthen the armed forces, and strengthen the police before we go federal. This might take 12 to 15 years"

Surely Ramos should not misplace his distrust for the oligarchs and dynasts to reform-minded federalists who are ready to make intelligent concessions with the national government so long as the interest of their constituents have been secured.

And when Ramos said there is yet a need for "strengthening the armed forces and the police . . ." is Ramos not in effect saying that he was ineffective as head of the Police Constabulary, chief of staff of the AFP, Defense Secretary and President? Just asking.

He also hinted at a need to have at least 12 years of parliamentary utopia, apparently, to make the police and military establishment strong enough to bully the federated states into submission. How could he say so when he himself claim he don't want to run for parliament because it is a demotion for a former president? (Ironically he is suggesting Gloria to run for parliament for a chance to become Prime Minister, yipeee!)

My reading is that "12 to 15 years" of parliamentary politicking before going federal really means "to hell with federalism, parliament is a big headache enough".

Fact of the matter is, only politicians who refuse to fade away like Ramos are the one's most excited over the prospect of a parliamentary form of government. It has no popular support with the rest of the Pinoy folks especially in the provinces who just want to buckle down to work and leave mud wrestling to the professional politicians in Manila.

And should politicians continue spewing mud at each other while the federated states of RP thrive on the side, what's wrong if one of them or all of them decides to secede? What's wrong with that? At least Manilans like me will have a chance to migrate to Cebu instead of East Timor!

It's one thing to campaign for changing the system of government but quite another thing to force feed one's political beliefs on the entire body politic.

Ramos also wants his agenda be carried out out by Gloria in six months? Boy did Ramos almost meant to add "or else"!

What's so special about six months?! Hmmmm...