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Thursday, October 30, 2003
City Council supports Davide
CEBU -- The Cebu City Council passed on mass motion Wednesday a resolution of "full support" for Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., while leaders of civil society asked citizens not to let their guard down despite a temporary break in the impeachment proceedings.
Councilors also moved to "appeal to the senses" of the 86 members of the House of Representatives so they will reconsider their decision to sign the impeachment complaint for the "greater interest of our people and our country."
They want all the 86 signatories to receive copies of the resolution.
Convenors of the Citizens for an Independent Judiciary (CIJ) postponed a grand indignation rally scheduled Wednesday afternoon, after the House of Representatives failed to submit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate this week.
They also called for volunteers, taking advantage of the short break to strengthen their forces.
"It's a temporary respite for all of us. CIJ will put on hold the rally this afternoon but we cannot put our guard down because we are really reaching a constitutional crisis here," Fr. Carmelo Diola said Wednesday.
Some rallies against the impeachment and some for it were held Wednesday in Manila, where former president Corazon Aquino attended mass with the Chief Justice's wife, Virginia Perez-Davide, to show her support for the Supreme Court.
Despite the break, Diola said the people must always be prepared for any developments in Congress and the Supreme Court.
He made his call for vigilance while the Cebu City Council held its fifth session this month, mostly to throw its support behind the Cebuano Chief Justice.
"We condemn any unconstitutional act. We condemn any scheming and evil machinations to destroy our people, our democracy, our country. We condemn any malice and bad faith to deprive this generation, our generation and the future generations of the joys of freedom, justice, truth and democracy," said Majority Floor Leader Jocelyn Pesquera in a privilege speech.
"Judases"
Acting Vice Mayor Gabriel Leyson, who presided over the session Wednesday, pointed out to Pesquera that there was no mention of the "Judases" in the resolution.
"They know who they are," Pesquera said during the discussion.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo, also a lawyer like Pesquera, discussed the unconstitutionality of the second impeachment complaint against Davide and pointed that the number of signatories belonging to the National People's Coalition (NPC) clearly indicates it is "politically motivated" stunt.
"As legislators, we cannot help but make our stand in order to prevent the death of democracy and the death of our beloved country," Pesquera also said in her speech.
Opposition Councilor Vicente Kintanar Jr., who like Davide hails from Argao, thanked Pesquera for her speech "in behalf of his fellow Argaoanons."
While CIJ waits for the decision of the Supreme Court, it will focus on volunteers and resource mobilization.
Diola urged individuals who want to join the cause of CIJ to donate material or any form of contribution to the CIJ office at the back of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos, since resources are needed "because we will be in this fight for a long time." CYR/LCR
(October 30, 2003 issue)
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