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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Misamis Occidental leaders reject anti-Constitution steps
By Ryan Rosauro
Ozamiz correspondent
OROQUIETA CITY -- In the event President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is forced out of power, local chief executives would refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of a successor other than what's prescribed by the Constitution.
Misamis Occidental Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos disclosed this consensus among local officials as moves to oust President Arroyo persist, with many modes of transition being contemplated.
One mode is the creation of a revolutionary transition council that negates the vice-president.
On Wednesday, the United Opposition is set to mobilize anti-Arroyo forces to show their continuing demand for her to step down.
During discussions by governors last week, Ocampos said it was agreed to withhold any support to a new government regime that takes over power outside of the Constitutional framework.
"We have resolved to make it impossible for power grabbers to govern if they insist on forcing an ouster (of Arroyo), and installing a government that disregards the Constitution," Ocampos explained during a news conference to apprise the local populace of developments in the national capital.
Ocampos added that they decided to take this stand in order to muster the collective voice of local government units and "play a stabilizing force" in the evolution of national political arrangements.
"We hope that through this activism by local government leaders, there will be changes in the traditional ingredients for power takeovers by way of a popular uprising," he said.
Ocampos noted that in the previous Edsa uprisings, local governments are not significant players in the balance of forces "even if these political upheavals have great impacts on local governance later."
He disclosed that through lobbying with town and city mayors, this stand was also adopted by the other local chief executives.
The League of Governors had thrown its support behind Arroyo in the face of mounting calls for her resignation, insisting on the impeachment process as the principal route to resolving the current political crisis spawned by the Garci tapes.
In coming up with a unified stand, Ocampos revealed that their discussions "were emotionally charged and "spontaneous" but did not went along political party lines.
What made them stick with Arroyo, according to him, was the president's appeal to be given "chance to prove my innocence."
But if she is proven guilty, she has to go, Ocampos quickly added, because after all, that is the essence of following the rule of law.
(July 13, 2005 issue)
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