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Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Arroyo allies in Cebu: No violation
CEBU CITY -- Former Cebu governor Pablo Garcia and Cebu City Representative Antonio Cuenco (south district) both said President Arroyo did not violate any law in admitting that she was the woman on the taped phone conversation with an official of the Commission on Elections.
Other local officials in Cebu commended the President for admitting that she made improper calls to a Commission on Elections official during last year's elections.
The wiretapped recording, Cuenco said in a radio dyLA interview, also did not prove that cheating done in the May presidential polls.
Garcia, on the other hand, said Arroyo's admission could not be used as a ground to impeach the President.
Former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, however, disagreed with the opinion of his uncle.
Alvin said Arroyo's admission could be used a ground to file an impeachment case against the President. He said, though, that such admission is not strong enough for Arroyo to get impeached.
Like other politicians who belong to the opposition, Alvin also wants Arroyo to resign from her post.
However, Representative Raul del Mar said President Arroyo did not own up to a criminal act.
"She admitted an impropriety, not a crime. Cheating in the last elections has to be supported by proof other than the tapes themselves," said del Mar (Cebu City, north).
For his part, Cebu Archdiocesan Media Liaison Officer Monsignor Achilles Dakay said the President can be forgiven for what she did but she must do penance.
"Remember that Jesus Christ forgave a thief while the latter was on the cross. The late Pope John Paul II forgave his assassin while the latter was already serving time in jail," Dakay said.
Provincial Board (PB) Members Gabriel Luis Quisumbing and Victor Maambong lauded Arroyo for her "courageous, laudable act of humility," while Representative Simeon Kintanar was "relieved" that the "truth" has now come out.
Her "apology should put an end to this sorry episode," said Rep. Eduardo Gullas in a press statement.
"Mrs. Arroyo is the closest we have to a Cebuano president since Sergio Osmeña Sr. Let us pray for her. Let us work behind her," said Gullas (Cebu, 1st district).
Cebu City officials also commended the President for her humility and courage, as they called on their constituents to support the President's administration amid her political problems.
The President should be given a chance to finish her term and the projects she implemented, said Councilor Edgardo Labella.
"We can criticize without being destructive because criticizing for the sake of destruction is the most reprehensible act and it even constitutes disloyalty to the country. I am not mocking the opposition but it should be a responsible opposition," said Vice Mayor Michael Rama.
Labella also said the people should give Arroyo a chance to finish her term.
"After all, she has been honest and candid about the impropriety. Otherwise, the ultimate victims would be the Filipino people, especially the poor. Besides, I don't see an alternative," he said.
However, militant groups in Cebu marched to the streets and called for Arroyo to step down.
"Arroyo is not just a fake president. She is also first and foremost a corrupt, puppet and fascist president," read a statement from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Central Visayas.
He said their allied party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Migrante, Anak ng Bayan and Suara Bangsamora became "victims of state-sponsored massive cheating."
The President should have answered allegations of poll cheating sooner, as her silence created "doubts" on her credibility.
"Whoever scripted the presidential response probably had been watching too many telenovelas," former Police Regional Office 7 director Tiburcio Fusilero said in an RPN News report.
While the "loss of confidence" of the people can already be considered a form of penance, Monsignor Dakay supports the proposal to create a "truth commission" that will investigate the controversies surrounding the 2004 elections, whether the President committed electoral fraud.
However, PB Member Maambong, also a lawyer, believes that what Arroyo did does not amount to betrayal of public trust.
"We should be mature enough to wait for the verdict of the House, otherwise, let's just all forget it," he said.
The House inquiry looking into the wiretapping scandal is set to continue its hearing Wednesday.
Kintanar, chairman of the House committee on information communication technology, said it has yet to be seen if Arroyo's admission has legal consequences.
"I have not heard or seen the complete recording," he said.
Kintanar also declined to comment on the impeachment complaint filed with House because he has not yet seen it. (JST/JGA/LCR/MEA/CYR/Sunnex)
(June 29, 2005 issue)
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