Leaders of militant groups opposed to Charter change will air their concerns in a meeting with House Speaker Jose de Venecia at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City this afternoon, Gov. Joseph Marañon said yesterday.

De Venecia is arriving today for the Charter day rites of Victorias City, and in the afternoon will meet with about 10 leaders of militant groups, pay a courtesy call on the governor, and discuss Cha-cha with mayors and presidents of the Associations of Barangay Captains of the towns and cities of Negros Occidental.

It was not confirmed yesterday whether a planned meeting with Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra would push through.

De Venecia is pushing for a shift to a unicameral, parliamentary form of government. We will tell the speaker not to ram the administration's Cha-cha down our throats, Felipe Levy Gelle, Bayan-Negros secretary general, said.

Bayan will ask the speaker to stop the "madness" of pushing the no election scenario in 2007 and the "stupidity" of pushing the charter change through a constituent assembly, he said.

Cha-cha will perpetuate Arroyo's stay in power, open the country's economy and patrimony to unbridled foreign exploitation, plunder and further degrade our nation's sovereignty, and threaten the already limited and fragile constitutional provisions on human rights and civil liberties, he claimed.

Marañon said the dialog today will allow the leaders of the militant groups to vent their concerns.*CPG

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