I remembered some time ago that I wrote it's a bummer to want a healthy opposition BUT to reject the parliamentary system. Now, a new "opposition" body is created called 1Sambayan which has the members such as Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Nancy Bitay, Leni Loud Robredo, Isko Moreno, and Antonio Trillanes IV. This is in hopes of checks and balances. However, for 1Sambatayan to succeed as a GENUINE OPPOSITION against the Duterte Government - it should support the PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM. The problem with the presidential system is that it doesn't have a real formal opposition.
Weren't the Marcos Years a parliamentary system?
If the Marcos Years were truly parliamentary then they would have that Government vs. Opposition layout. That means, if the despot, the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. was truly a prime minister then there had to be an Opposition Leader. For example, a real parliamentary set-up would've probably made Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. the Opposition Leader. But as Ninoy said - there was a parliamentary WITHOUT a parliament. The Westminster or British type would require an opposition. Marcos would not be able to rule unchallenged IF he was a real prime minister. Cesar Virata was a prime minister in name only - Marcos was STILL in power during the tenure of Virata! A real parliamentary renders the president as a ceremonial Head of State - a position that fit the late Corazon C. Aquino due to her status as a unifying, symbolic figure during the EDSA Revolution.
Just imagine if Ninoy's speech in Boston wasn't done in Boston but in the Philippine. Just imagine if Marcos as the Prime Minister had to face off against Ninoy in a live confrontation. Just imagine if Ninoy had financial documents that would reveal the ill-gotten wealth and the ill-spendings of the Marcoses. Ninoy could present it all live on television back then. A real parliamentary would demand that these debates would be live. Can you imagine how Marcos' term would be cut short because the whole parliamentary would be hissing and booing at him? Can you imagine if the whole parliamentary and the entire Filipino people saw Ninoy own Marcos in person and on LIVE TELEVISION? That's something that was impossible in the MOCK PARLIAMENT of Marcos. Mock meat is not real meat. A mock parliament isn't a real parliament.
Ninoy could've easily said, "I declare a referendum, a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Marcos for all this unexplained wealth!" This would pressure the Marcos-led Government to either shape up or lose the confidence of the people. A votation can follow which would've probably and effectively humiliated Marcos. Maybe, Marcos could've been arrested on the spot as a corrupt prime minister IF it were a real parliament. Instead, the mock parliamentary set-up allowed Marcos to have immunity - something not possible in a real parliamentary set-up.
How 1Sambayan could really do better and be relevant under a parliamentary system?
Meanwhile, a parliamentary system has way better chances of keeping the government on its toes. Let's just say that 1Sambayan is basically Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party merged into a coalition Opposition - that's when more than one party forms the Opposition. The job of the Opposition in the parliamentary system is to question the Government and hold it accountable. That would be the job of Opposition Leader Trillanes and his team if they were in the parliamentary system
Let us think of this example. Opposition Leader Trillanes has an objection towards Prime Minister Duterte? They can really settle it on a weekly press conference together. The Duterte-led Government has its appointees. The Trillanes-led Opposition has its appointees. That means Prime Minister Duterte's cabinet is held accountable by Opposition Leader Trillanes' cabinet. There are shadow ministers for every minister. For example. Karl Chua is the minister of finance while Florin Hilbay is the shadow minister of finance. Hilbay will probably say something like, "Wait a minute, Minister Chua, I believe that we may abolish 60-40 entirely but we shouldn't let foreigners own land. True, they will have a land tax but foreign investors are tenants. You don't sell your space to your tenants, right?" if Chua should ever propose to allow foreigners to buy land.
What 1Sambayan should be doing is advocate SHIFTING to parliamentary. It's because the parliamentary system gives a better voice to the minority than the presidential system. They will be able to hold any winning party accountable better than the presidential. Elections for 2022 should be suspended in favor of constitutional reform. Maybe, have the elections moved to another date AFTER changing to parliamentary. People should be made to vote by parties which 1Sambayan should be listed as a legitimate candidate as a WHOLE.
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