Farewell to Democracy

Bidding a disparaging farewell to democracy, President Ferdinand Marcos last week formally ended the Philippines' 26-year-old American-style government. In a nationwide broadcast, Marcos announced a new constitution that gives him dictatorial powers for as long as he chooses and declared, "It is easier perhaps and more comfortable to look back to the solace of a familiar and mediocre past. But the times are too grave and the stakes too high for us to permit the customary concessions to traditional democratic processes."

That Marcos found democracy troublesome had, of course, been evident for some time. Since imposing martial law throughout the country last September, he had steadily moved to consolidate his one-man rule. Two weeks ago, he suddenly canceled the plebiscite on the new constitution scheduled for Jan. 15. Instead, he initiated a series of government-controlled "citizens' assemblies," where participants were asked to raise their hands if they favored the proposed charter. The overwhelming approval of the assemblies, Marcos declared last week, constituted ratification.

The President's scattered and largely impotent opponents charged that the constitution had been imposed by force and fraud. In fact, Marcos made his announcement at the very moment when the Philippine Supreme Court was considering a petition from a group of lawyers assailing the legality of the impending ratification. The justices seemed stunned by the action. Presumably, they were aware that one of the provisions of the new constitution is that Marcos may appoint and dismiss Supreme Court justices at will.

The fundamental purpose of the new constitution had been to give Manila a parliamentary government; even that seems a moot point now. Marcos may rule by decree as long as he chooses -and that apparently is just what he intends to do. His supporters were claiming last week that the citizens' assemblies had indicated that the people were content not to have parliamentary elections for six or seven years. That would mean a considerable lease on power for the 55-year-old President, whose second term under the old constitution was due to expire at the end of 1973 (a third consecutive term was forbidden).

Reaction in Washington to the new turn of events has been muffled. The cautious stance stems from two considerations: 1) $ 1 billion in private American business investment in the Philippines, and 2) strategic U.S. military bases there. Privately, however, Manila has been warned that Congress may not continue large-scale economic and military aid, which since 1946 has amounted to nearly $2 billion.

In any case, Marcos has already made it clear that for the moment he does not want to be bothered by any legislative body. While announcing the new constitution, he declared that one of its key provisions-the immediate convening of an interim national assembly-was null and void. For the present, Ferdinand Marcos alone will act as President, Premier and Parliament of the Philippines.

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