Friday, December 15, 2006 Vidal asked to mediate between House and Senate
SOME groups may be urging Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal to mediate between the Senate and the House of Representatives in talks to amend the Constitution, but the Cebu Archdiocese is not keen on meddling in political issues.
Msgr. Achilles Dakay, Cebu archdiocesan media liaison officer, said they have yet to receive an official invitation, but asked why groups have to tap Vidal when there is Manila Archbishop Gau-dencio Cardinal Rosales.
However, Dakay revealed that Rosales also announced that he does not want to interfere in political issues.
When asked whether Vidal will also shy away from political matters, Dakay told Sun.Star: “Lalo na (All the more).”
Dakay admitted that he received a phone call from Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco, who said that House Speaker Jose de Venecia wanted to talk to the cardinal.
“But I don’t know if he (de Venecia) got through (Vidal),” Dakay said.
In an interview during the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe last Tuesday, Vidal said he did not receive a phone call from any politician as he was out of the province for most of last week.
On reports that some senators are joining a nationwide rally organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Sunday, Dakay said, “It’s up to them.”
Vidal, in an earlier interview, also said he values the democracy of Filipinos.
Pressure from several sectors led the House of Representatives to drop its plan of convening into a constituent assembly without consent from Senate.
The House of Representatives recently announced it will now push for a constitutional convention (Concon).
But President Arroyo yesterday announced that now is not the right time to amend the 1987 Constitution.
If Concon pushes through, the public can expect a Constitution that is for the good of the people and free from vested interests, according to Pablo Garcia, former Cebu governor and a known constitutionalist.
Garcia said the Concon delegates will be “independent and not influenced by any congressman, senator or even the President.”
Concon delegates will work on the Constitution from six months to one year without salary and will only receive per diem allowance.
They also do not have pork barrel.
Garcia said that in the previous Concon, there were two delegates for every district.
But now that there are already more than 200 districts, one delegate for every district will do.
Opposition leaders, religious groups and militants have announced plans to hold mass protest actions against Charter change.
With this, the new flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy is warning officers against joining street demonstrations and supporting political moves against the government.
Rear Admiral Rogelio Calunsag, who replaced Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga, made his first visit as flag officer in command to the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) yesterday.
Calunsag, a Boholano, was appointed to the post last Friday.
“They should not be involved in the political squabbles. We should be concentrated and concerned about doing our duties in the military,” he told radio dyLA.
Calunsag said there are groups who are trying to influence the military to join them.
“I don’t agree with that move. We in the military should be left alone to perform our military duties,” he said. (JGA/MBG/MEA)
