Her regime is over - Mar

MANILA, Philippines - Whether she says goodbye or not, President Arroyo’s term ends in 2010 and the elections will push through, because the Filipino people will not allow her to extend her stay in power, Sen. Manuel Roxas II said yesterday.

“It is not up to her,” Roxas told The STAR during a visit yesterday. “Her regime is over.”

He said Mrs. Arroyo’s US trip will send the clearest signal that “elections will push through” next year despite last-ditch efforts by her allies in Congress to amend the Constitution and allow her to extend her term.

“(US President Barack) Obama is there to tell her not to monkey around with the Constitution,” Roxas said.

Even if the President tries to stay beyond 2010, it would not happen “because we’re not going to allow her,” he added.

Roxas, who is seen as the standard bearer of the Liberal Party, said Monday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) was the President’s last and there was no way her allies would be able to push Charter change (Cha-cha).

“Let them dance. They will dance by themselves,” Roxas said, referring to pro-administration members of the House of Representatives who are pushing for Cha-cha.

Roxas said some congressmen told him about their plans to go ahead with Cha-cha, through a constituent assembly even without the Senate’s participation.

Roxas described Mrs. Arroyo as a president detached from her people, citing as example her dilly-dallying in implementing the Cheaper Medicines Law. In the executive order that she signed reducing by half the prices of essential medicines, Roxas said the President only included five of the 21 drugs most needed by the public.

He said he was not bothered by the tirades against her by the President and even considered it an indication that “I’m the only real threat” because she could not deal with him.

Roxas called on Mrs. Arroyo to reject any lobbying from Obama and the US pharmaceutical companies against the Cheaper Medicines Law, for which he said he fought for 10 years.

“It seems that all this noise about the medicines is really timed for the SONA. Why the big deal, this is the law?” Roxas asked.

Roxas added he could not understand why the President complained about the Senate version of the Cheaper Medicines Law when she had the veto power and could have used her allies in the House and the Senate to push for the measure she wanted.

“(She is like) I wish I have this, I wish I have that. She’s not engaged,” Roxas said.