"Constitution Awaits People's Ratification." A "general assembly" of Kalibapi representatives will hold a two-day confab in Manila then proceed to vote. It'll be more like a roll call with the Japanese taking notes. This "is believed to satisfy the provisions of the Constitution as a means of popular ratification" — ratified, that is, by the Kalibapi members handpicked long ago by Aquino and the Japanese. "It will not be possible to hold public elections for that purpose in view of the troublous [sic] situation."

The President is chosen by the National Assembly, which is itself chosen "in the manner provided by law" — which law is unspecified. The Executive Branch gets tremendous powers; only by unanimous vote of the Supreme Court can their actions be declared unconstitutional. The President, as "Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Republic," can declare martial law in the case of insurrection, invasion or imminent danger of such. "With the concurrence of 2/3rds of the National Assembly," he can declare war and make peace.

The Constitution is "transitory" in character. In fact, "within one year after the termination of the Greater East Asia war," there'll be an election choosing delegates to a Constitutional Convention where this constitution can be junked. At the end of the war, agreements made by the President "with any foreign nation" for the use of natural resources can be terminated, and property rights or privileges acquired during the war can be adjusted.

So there you have it: a mere band-aid of a constitution to protect our government until this emergency is over.

Responding to PCPI's Mabuhay