The lies and myths about parliament-unicameral system

Now that the solicitation of signatures to support of the People’s Initiative in Pangasinan is over but the verification by Comelec, those who signed the supposed petition but failed to understand what the exercise was all about, can now recall the “facts” told them about parliament and unicameral system.

Atty. Raul Lambino of Sigaw ng Bayan and the crew of the Cha-Cha Express Train have promised our people that:

1. Parliamentary system will move the country faster towards economic progress like all countries operating under the parliamentary system.

Truth: That’s exactly what was promised the countries of Bangladesh, Angola, Rwanda, Mozambique and most other African states. These countries have the highest levels of poverty in the world, and they remain at the cellar of world economic standing.

2. Corruption will be greatly minimized under a parliamentary and unicameral system.

Truth: The experiences of these African states are proofs that corruption thrives in a parliamentary-unicameral system. A unicameral system promotes and make easier the commission of graft and corruption since the executive and legislative functions of government will be fused in a single body. This system will allow the majority to push through with whatever they want, without a counterpart to check it.

     Further, how would corruption greatly diminish when the same corrupt leaders remain in power to run the parliament under a unicameral system?

3. Most progressive parliament systems operate under a unicameral system.

Truth: None of the old established and real democracies yet progressive countries like United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, to name a few, have a parliament with bicameral legislative system. These countries value the principle of “check-and-balance” in their system.

4. People will be assured of political stability since a prime minister will be elected among members of parliament who compose the majority.

Truth: This is the sure-fire formula for dictatorship with the people left without any other legal recourse to directly replace corrupt leaders. And since in such a system reelection is unlimited, a corrupt government can stay in power for as long as it can until it will have been overthrown by a revolution. Or expect more coup d’etat being sprung on those in power.

We can only reiterate here the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines thru its president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo as stated in his Pastoral statement on the alleged People Initiative to change the constitution – “to discern the appropriate actions.”   

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