rigging and graft. But he objected to plans by a commission, mostly picked by Arroyo, to cancel elections in 2007 for the two-house Congress and extend terms until a parliament was elected in 2010. Ramos, 77, also criticised power-sharing proposals by some Lakas officials -- including an interim French-style system with a president and prime minister -- as preserving the "status quo for four more years". Analysts say changes are needed to the political system, with its powerful families, vested interests, weak parties and often polarised debate that stalls law-making and reforms. Whether Arroyo finishes her term in 2010 would remain a contentious issue, political analyst Earl Parreno said, but Lakas leaders were expected to draw up a "happy compromise" to preserve the party's image as a united political machine. "It all boils down to the transitory provisions in a proposed new constitution," Parreno said. "I am a bit disturbed because the real issues of governance, accountability and substance and form of the proposed parliament system would give way to debate on whether Arroyo would stay in office until 2010." Arroyo's foes, united in wanting her out but otherwise split, failed with an impeachment motion last year and have not whipped up the public anger that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada as president in 2001.
