Thursday, November 03, 2005
Palace insists 'people's court' is illegal
MANILA -- Malacañang said Wednesday the so-called "people's court" is illegal, even if Environment Secretary Michael Defensor said he is willing to defend President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before it.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita reiterated there is nothing in the country's judicial system that provides for a people's court, where the ones who will compose it, read the charges, render the judgment and mete out the punishment are the same ones asking for the President to resign.
"I was thinking maybe that is the way by which the opposition can make alive its clamor to hear out the charges against the President," Ermita said.
He said he will find out why Defensor, presidential political spokesman, volunteered to attend the "people's court" and defend Arroyo before it.
"We all know that Secretary Mike (Defensor), he's very articulate. But as to whether that will happen, we do not know. After this, I'll find out if he would attend," he said.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, for his part, said Defensor has his own reasons for giving such a statement but the Palace reiterates that a people's court is "illegal and without any basis."
Ermita also denied that Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo met with former US ambassador to the Philippines John Negroponte in Washington to get assurance that the US Government still supports the Arroyo administration.
He said getting the support of heads of state is part of Romulo's function as foreign affairs chief. He added that Romulo is in the US on official mission and holding meetings in connection with the Philippines' status as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. (JMR/Sunnex)
(November 3, 2005 issue)
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