|
Monday, February 16, 2004
Be calm: Mayor, congressman urge FPJ backers
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO -- Remain calm, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Rep. Prospero "Boy" Nograles urged Dabawenyos over reports of a possible uprising if the Supreme Court disqualifies Fernando Poe Jr. from the May presidential race.
Duterte said the people should wait for the final decision of the SC and abide by it.
Nograles, for his part, said threats of an Edsa 4 uprising by the camp of movie actor Poe is "just a bluff" and a desperate propaganda gimmick aimed at preventing Poe's political party, the Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), from falling apart.
Responding to claims by the Poe camp that people will take to the streets to launch another popular revolt in case the actor is disqualified, Nograles said this would never materialize because public attention is already geared towards the May 10 elections.
"Maybe they can gather a few thousand of supporters and launch rallies but that's all they can do. Our people would rather wait for the result of the election rather than waste their time on protest rallies," said Nograles.
Nograles said he is sure the military would not support Poe, who is openly being supported by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People's Army (NPA).
He added that a large faction of the opposition, particularly that group supporting presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson, will refuse to join such "useless and unconstitutional exercise."
"The camp of FPJ is obviously desperate because perhaps they know very well that existing legal precedents all points to his disqualification. That's the reason why they are now trying to use threats to pressure the Supreme Court to decide in FPJ's favor," Nograles said.
Nograles said he reviewed the disqualification case against Poe, and found there is factual basis for the actor's disqualification.
He said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) only decided to dismiss the case against Poe because it really has no jurisdiction to decide on disqualification issues concerning candidates seeking national elective posts.
"The SC is really the right forum that could decide on this issue... and from where I stand as a lawyer, I can say that while he (Poe) may be a Filipino, I am not certain that he is a natural-born Filipino," said Nograles, adding that its best that the Supreme Court fast track on the disqualification case "for the good of the Filipino people."
(February 16, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Sonny shutout hurts Glo's Cebu campaign sked