MANILA, Philippines?New year, old foes.

Critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday vowed no respite for her in the new year and in the homestretch of her nine-year term. She has been in Malacañang since 2001.

?There is nothing Ms Arroyo will be able to do in the last few months of her reign of terror that will improve what people think of her,? said Leah Navarro, co-convener of the civil society group Black and White Movement.

Despite four failed attempts to impeach Ms Arroyo, Navarro said her group would continue to ?seek redress in that direction? if only to make her accountable for unresolved allegations such as the ?Hello Garci? controversy.

Navarro said her group would also continue to block administration efforts to keep Ms Arroyo in office beyond 2009, a lingering suspicion considering moves in the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution.

The move of Malacañang allies to spearhead Charter change can force the fragmented political opposition to forge a unified front against constitutional amendments to ensure that the presidential election in 2010 will take place.

The elusive unity within the opposition was pointed out by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in separate interviews before the country ushered in New Year?s Day.

Cayetano said that Charter change remained the biggest issue confronting critics of Ms Arroyo in 2009.

Common platform

This will provide a common platform for the warring members of the Senate to unite against a ?common enemy,? he said.

The opposition has several presidential aspirants but Cayetano said ?the big hindrance?what is stopping these major realignments from becoming manifest?is the possibility of Cha-cha, and the possibility of the President staying on in whatever capacity after 2010.?

He said those in the administration had already made ?commitments? to their presidential candidates, mostly in the opposition, ?subject to the fact that it won?t be a question of choosing between President Arroyo and the next candidate.?

?In short, any political commitment hinges on there being elections in 2010,? he said.
So far, only Sen. Manuel Villar has declared that he would run for president, while Senators Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon are keeping coy about their presidential ambitions.

While there will be individual announcements and party recruitment, there is no realignment taking place ?until the certainty of the 2010 elections.?

The prospect of no elections is scary for both the opposition and the citizenry, he said, adding that the first quarter of the year would be ?crucial? because of Charter change.

The House initially decided to go it alone?proceed with Charter amendments without the Senate?but later declared a ceasefire during the holidays following a large rally spearheaded by the Catholic Church and the opposition in Makati City.

Joint voting

The Senate has been adamant that any Charter change resolution should be decided by both chambers, voting separately, while the much larger House wants a joint voting. The House will start floor debates on Charter change resolution when Congress resumes session on Jan. 19.

Quoting the ?Art of War,? Pimentel said: ?Under the Sun Tzu principle of the enemy of your enemy is your friend, they might engage in a unified effort to stave off a brazenly unconstitutional act.?

By ?they,? he was alluding to presidential aspirants in the Senate.