2006年VOA标准英语-Philippine Supreme Court Rejects Changing Polit

By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
25 October 2006

The Philippine Supreme¹ court has ruled against allowing a referendum on whether the country should change to a parliamentary system of government - dealing² a major blow to President Gloria Arroyo³ who has been pushing for the change.

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By a vote of eight to seven, the 15-member court dismissed the "People's Initiative" petition to change the Philippine system of government. 
  
 
Attorney Gleo Guerra announces  Supreme Court decision dismissing petition for People's Initiative to amend⁴ the Constitution, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006
  
The court ruled the petition to hold a referendum on switching to a parliamentary form of rule would be illegal because only Congress can pass such sweeping⁵ revisions to the constitution.

Court Spokeswoman Gleo Guerre explained the decision in Manila.

 "Under the constitution, the People's Initiative can only apply for amendments⁶ to the constitution," she said. " And the proposed changes to the constitution, according to the court, constitutes revisions."

President Gloria Arroyo's government had backed the petition for a public vote on adopting a parliament. Her allies had secured more than six million signatures to endorse⁷ it.

But Guerre says the Supreme Court - in throwing out the petition - also questioned the legitimacy⁸ of those signatures, saying it was not clear if people knew what they were signing.

"The court found that the signatures were obtained irregularly, because they were just placed on the signature sheet and they were not appended [attached] to the actual petition containing the text of the proposed changes. In short, there was a lack of adequate showing that the people who signed knew the changes that they are affixing⁹ their signatures to," she said.
 

Protesters display placards while shouting slogans during a picket¹⁰ outside the Supreme Court, Wednesday Oct. 25, 2006  
  
Advocates, including the president, had been pushing to switch to a parliament from the current American-style two-chamber Congress as a means to end political deadlock¹¹ between the opposition¹² controlled Senate and the administration-friendly House of Representatives. President Arroyo has argued this would bring faster policy making and greater economic growth.

Opponents of the charter change, known here as "cha cha", say Mrs. Arroyo, who has survived two impeachment¹³ bids and at least one coup¹⁴ attempt, was just trying to eliminate her opponents in the Senate. They note it could have allowed her to stay in office after her term ends in 2010.

Senator Franklin Drilon, a key opponent of the Mrs. Arroyo, hailed Wednesday's decision, saying it shows the independence of the court in the face of what he called 'brazen¹⁵ pressure.'

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 arroyo   

n.干涸的河床，小河

参考例句：

• She continued along the path until she came to the arroyo.她沿着小路一直走到小河边。
• They had a picnic by the arroyo.他们在干枯的河床边野餐过。

4 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

5 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

6 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

7 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

8 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

9 affixing   

v.附加( affix的现在分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）

参考例句：

• Formally approves a document by affixing a signature. 以签名的形式正式批准文件。 来自互联网
• Forfixing, insulating, shock affixing parts or screws of many items such as appliances, stereos, and eyeglasses. 电器、音响响、光学学、电脑等的零件、螺丝固定绝缘、防震与接著。 来自互联网

10 picket   

n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫

参考例句：

• They marched to the factory and formed a picket.他们向工厂前进,并组成了纠察队。
• Some of the union members did not want to picket.工会的一些会员不想担任罢工纠察员。

11 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

14 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

15 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。