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Contrary to consistently murky propaganda flying out of Malacañang, many people wish a huge storm would finally sweep Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from the office she has usurped since the 2004 elections. Consequently, the public hopes the storm would bring a rebirth and an opportunity for forces of progress to bring the most urgent aspirations of Filipinos to reality.

Yes, I and many others want another People Power uprising and one that is not easily stolen by trapos like GMA.

Unlike the first two editions, the next People Power uprising should be more powerful, should unite even more Filipinos and should result in actual tangibles for each and every participant and supporter.

GMA wannabees need not apply. The people will not countenance a reprise of how she stole the victory of Edsa 2, despoiled its cause against corruption by committing one corrupt act ater another, and shamed the entire nation through "lying, cheating, stealing and killing."

This time around, People Power should unleash an alternative mode of leadership most capable of uniting the people behind a program of reforms. True, the trapos may not be completely excised like a tumor in any People Power uprising, but we could all help ensure that the reform-oriented workers, farmers, youth, women and other sectors be represented adequately in the next government.

Sorry to all unintelligent and nonsensical anti-communists but the time has come for an end to the complete trapo domination of governance. Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela have shown how New Politics looks and sounds like. It is not communism but a plain new way of looking and appreciating the role of the government and the people. (By the way, these progressives in Congress were actually elected by the people, garnering a bug number of votes more than enough for the seats the partylist representatives now occupy. And in case these anti-communists suffer from bouts of selective and opportunist amnesia, Bayan Muna topped the last two partylist elections fair and square, and without any charge of electoral fraud marring its victories.)

These progressive sectors and their parties are the complete opposite of trapos. They have no record of corruption. Instead, they are known as die-hard advocates of wage hikes, increases in state budgets for education and basic social services, tax breaks for working people, and controls on prices of basic goods. They aspire for a new brand of democracy -- one that is not just formal or cosmetic but substantial. They proselytize the need for national industrialization and agrarian reform as the long-term solution to chronic poverty. They are not puppets of US imperialism, but instead maintain and expand people-to-people solidarity with Americans and other nationalities.

If, and this is a big if, the trapos would voluntarily cede power to them, these progressive forces are ready to take hold of the reins of power as they have long been forged in almost four decades of furnace-like struggles and sacrifice. There is no better way to train for national leadership but in actually leading the people in great mass struggles and political battles in both the Parliament of the Streets and the halls of Congress.

No, these sectors would not be the majority in a Transition Council, but their presence and equitable share in seats in such a council would make reforms truly possible. For without them, the people have nothing to hope for in terms of tangibles immediately after the ouster of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

People Power is so feared by shady characters like GMA because it is a direct manifestation of sovereign will, higher even than the Constitution. For when the people take it upon themselves to correct a hideous wrong, all laws stop and should do so because that is an act of the sovereign people. This concept sends shivers down the spine of GMA as well as every political cannibal who supports her. They know fully well that they are not really untouchable.

What could speed up the process is GMA herself. She is bound to create more enemies even within her own party, Lakas CMD. That she cannot unite and rally her own party under one single call is yet another proof of her inability to be a uniting factor. In fact, that she is the most divisive factor in the Philippines today is rendered more obvious by the infighting inside Lakas CMD.

The Chacha project of GMA is bound to become a magnet for criticisms from all sectors of society. The process is dubious, at the least, with her allies in Congress brazenly violating House rules just to insert amendments Lakas CMD and GMA desperately need to perpetuate themselves in power. Even Big Business have kept an arm's length from the Chacha proponents because of the shameless maneuvers that violate law and disrespect the intelligence of the Filipino people.

The proposed amendments are another thing altogether. The lawyers group Counsels for the Defense of Liberties say the draft Charter emanating from the bowels of the Lakas CMD majority in the House would make "bribery the highest law". For along with the poisonous provisions extending terms of office, prolonging GMA's stay in office and ensuring the complete sellout of the national economy to alien interests, the Lakas CMD has seen it fit to foist on judges an extension of the retiring age from the current 70 to 75 and host of other bribes that would make moralists squirm 1,000 times an hour in pure disgust.

Meanwhile, the pompous trio of (Eduardo) Ermita, (Raul) Gonzalez and and (Norberto) Gonzales who we may call EGG (itlog, egg, zero, zilch, nadah... in terms of patriotism and native intelligence) and screaming "the communists are coming!" all over town. They conveniently forget that the real terrorists they have invited to visit. Four of them even committed rape, supposedly a heinous offense in this country. But trust EGG to be as stupid as they seem to be and pin the blame on the communists ad nauseam. Truth to tell, the communists are not yet -- not yet -- in power and it is the rotten ruling system that they worship that has brought terrorism and misery in this country.

If the EGG persists in their anti-communism while keeping the four US Marines -- sexual terrorists, all of them -- beyond the reach of Philippine law, they would be doing a great service to the nation by becoming living examples of what we ought not have as Cabinet members and what government we do not deserve. They bungle the case or allow the rapist GIs to go scot-free and they agitate the public to move against their principal.

The Subic rape case has shoved imperialism at the center of the crisis of leadership. GMA's obeisance to US interests would be tested by the forthcoming joint resolution of Congress demanding the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement. If GMA refuses to heed Congress, there could be a constitutional crisis and she would create more enemies on yet another issue: national dignity and sovereignty.

These two issues could truly propel mass demonstrations on a nationwide in the next few weeks and at the center is GMA and her illegitimate, corrupt and opportunist regime.

These demonstrations could be the preview of the next People Power.