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Tuesday, November 04, 2003
No politicking allowed
* Politicians won't be allowed to go up stage during ecumenical rally
CEBU -- Convenors of the Citizens for Judicial Independence (CJI) agreed Monday that they would not allow incumbent and aspiring politicians to use the "anti-impeachment" campaign for their own interests.
Since the first rally in Cebu last October 27, the CJI was able to gather at least 2,300 signatures of individuals who want the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. stopped.
Campaign
The convenors agreed that no politician or political figure will be allowed to speak or go up the stage during the grand ecumenical prayer rally Wednesday, lest they use it as an opportunity to campaign for next year's elections.
CJI convenor Fr. Carmelo Diola said they don't want the rally to become a campaign sortie.
"We can't prevent politicians from attending but we have to be careful because in the light of the coming elections, there will be people who will misunderstand the presence of the politicians. We want this to be a movement of the masa, not the politicians," they said.
Speakers
Only former president Corazon Aquino and four other speakers will be allowed to go up the stage.
More than 100 policemen will make sure those who will attend Wednesday's grand prayer rally will be secured.
Cebu City Police Office director Cecil Ezra Sandalo said he is anticipating a very big crowd, especially after it was announced that Aquino would be attending it.
The CJI also launched Monday the "Barug Pilipinas!" signature campaign, with the theme "One God, One Nation, One Justice: Judicial Independence", which is also the theme of the rally Wednesday.
During the march and the mass at the Redemptorist Church last October 27, CJI was able to gather 2,375 signatures, which will be consolidated with the signatures that will be gathered during Wednesday's rally.
The signature campaign will go on until November 8 and will be submitted to Congress and the Supreme Court before November 10.
Several petitions for and against the impeachment complaint against Davide were filed before the Supreme Court.
The House of Representatives impeached Davide after over 80 congressmen signed the complaint that accused the chief justice of misusing the Judiciary Development Fund. Davide has denied the allegation.
Direct hand
"The signatures will tell Congress that the 'masa' is taking a direct hand in stopping the impeachment. We will gather as many signatures as we can within the limited period," said University of San Carlos Professor Ricky Poca, one of the CJI convenors.
On Wednesday's rally, Regional Trial Court Judge Gabriel Ingles will talk about the legal and constitutional issues of the impeachment while USC president Fr. Roderick Salazar will tackle the moral dimension and motivations behind the impeachment.
An officer of a doctors' organization will take up the sinister plot to destroy democratic institutions while Poca will answer all the charges against Davide.
Aquino will give the inspirational message.
CJI convenors urged those who will attend the rally to wear black shirts or black armbands in support of Davide and an independent judiciary.
At 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the 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, before marching to Fuente Osmeņa at 3 p.m. LCR/MEA of Sun.Star Cebu
(November 4, 2003 issue)
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