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Saturday, November 01, 2003
Biz leaders ask solons: drop bid
CEBU -- Instead of an impeachment trial, supporters of an independent judiciary and Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. want the Commission on Audit (COA) and the House of Representatives to investigate the allegations against the Cebuano magistrate.
The campaign against the impeachment will again be taken to the streets of Cebu on Wednesday afternoon, when the Citizens for Judicial Independence (CJI) leads a grand ecumenical prayer rally that former president Corazon Aquino will attend.
That same day, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the six petitions filed to stop the impeachment complaint from reaching the Senate for trial.
Convenors of the "Barug Pilipinas!" -- a prayer rally with the theme "One God, One Nation, One Justice: Judicial Independence" -- hope to gather at least 30,000 to express their opposition to the impeachment.
Leaders of five business groups in Cebu are circulating an urgent appeal for 86 lawmakers to withdraw immediately the impeachment complaint against Davide.
Two Cebuanos, Reps. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz and Joseph "Ace" Durano, are among the signatories.
The business community said the lawmakers should not push through with the second complaint because it is unconstitutional and because Congress "must attend to more pressing legislative priorities that will improve the economy and the welfare of the Filipino people."
The appeal, which warned lawmakers they could "cause inevitable damage to the economy", was signed by Carlos Co, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Oscar Chua, president of the Cebu Business Club; Agustin Palao, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce; regional governor Jose Ng of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Allan Suarez, president of Philexport. President Milagros Rizarri of the Ormoc City Chamber of Commerce also signed.
Proper forum
On Wednesday's rally, various speakers will educate participants on legal and constitutional issues such as power encroachment, the moral dimension and motivations behind the impeachment, the sinister plot to destroy democratic institutions and the boycott of San Miguel products, which is CJI's call to action.
Aquino, who will give the inspirational message, will talk about ways to help solve the woes of the country and heal the divisiveness affecting Filipinos today.
In a press conference Friday, CJI convenors criticized members of the House of Representatives who are pushing for the impeachment of Davide, saying that they ignored the proper forum where the allegations can be investigated.
"The proper forum has already been established, which is the COA and the House committee on justice, but Congress did not push through with it. What is the basis for impeachment when we all know that the allegations are all lies, very glaring lies?" CJI convenor and University of San Carlos professor Ricky Poca said.
Since the impeachment of Davide is against the Constitution, Fr. Vic Labao, also a CJI convenor, challenged the House of Representatives to follow the law and let COA and the House committee on justice investigate the allegations to avoid a constitutional crisis.
"We want to follow the Constitution and the law but Congress is telling us not to. They want the Chief Justice to do what is against the law and what is against moral decency," he added.
Jesus vs Herod
The convenors also criticized the "pro-impeachment" representatives in Congress who are likening the case of Davide to that of deposed president Joseph Estrada.
CJI convenor Fr. Carmelo Diola said the comparison is like "comparing Jesus Christ to Herod the Great".
He also corrected comments during the live interview over the ABS-CBN program "Dong Puno Live" last Wednesday night that he engaged in name-calling when he said that the core of the problem are the "good-looking hypocrites who pretend to be protectors of the law who also want to be above the law."
"What I said was that the issue, not the people involved, is baseless, malicious and evil. It was not name-calling. When Jesus gets angry in the Bible, he directs His anger toward leaders who pretend to be who they are not. If you call that name-calling, then by all means, Jesus Himself is a name-caller and I follow Him," Diola said.
He urged all Cebuanos who love their country and God and those who are for an independent judiciary to attend the grand prayer rally at the Fuente Osmeņa at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Participants can proceed to the four designated assembly areas: Sacred Heart School for Boys along Gen. Maxilom Ave., the Provincial Capitol building, B. Rodriguez St. corner V. Rama Ave. and USC main, and march to Fuente Osmeņa circle at 3 p.m.
(November 1, 2003 issue)
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