Anarchy: Dictatorship by the party

Neal H. Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Asia News Network, Manila

The dangers of a parliamentary system of government is now evident even before the Constitution can be amended. Would you believe that Vice President Teofisto Guingona, the president of Lakas, the party in power, is being ousted from the party he heads? Another Lakas member, Bulacan Representative Magtanggol Gunigundo Jr., is also being ousted for suggesting that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and husband Jose Miguel should go into a separation of property to spare the President from being dragged into the money laundering charges leveled against the First Gentleman.

Gunigundo did not suggest the legal separation of the controversial couple, only the separation of their properties to make it clear who owns what. For that well-meaning suggestion, he is being kicked out of his party. Who is doing the kicking of the two party members? A mere presidential adviser who is not even an original member of Lakas. A mere adviser working for the ouster of the party president? Only in the Philippines.

If the party can do this to the country's Vice President, the person who will succeed the President if anything happens to her, imagine what the party can do in a parliamentary system.

In a parliamentary government, the party is supreme. The reins of government go to the party that elects the most number of candidates to Parliament. Then the party members elect from among themselves the prime minister, the head of government, the counterpart of the President under our present presidential system. Cabinet members will also be chosen from party members in Parliament. The members of Parliament (MPs), the counterpart of today's congressmen, will be both legislators and the top government executives. Thus, the people are deprived of the right to choose the prime minister who would rule them.

Dissent and freedom of opinion and expression will be stifled. Everybody has to dance to the party tune. Anybody who is out of step will be disciplined. Nobody can say a contrary opinion, even if the free exchange of opinion and ideas is the hallmark of democracy. The whole government will be run collectively by the party. Thus, it is as if we would be back to martial law, except that there would not be only one dictator but many. Do we want that?

The congressmen and presidential advisers who are pushing Charter amendments for a shift to the parliamentary system are not explaining everything to the people. They just keep mouthing the refrain that the parliamentary system will be good for the country as it will remove the gridlock between the Senate and the House in enacting laws. Wrong.

When you have only one legislature, the congressional railroad will run faster. Laws good for the party and bad for the people can be rushed through the legislative mill. There will be no Senate to check the abuses of the House. There will be no checks and balances. Imagine all the onerous laws that the present House could have passed without the presence of the Senate.