|
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Melee mars citizens' congress hearing; 2 hurt
MANILA -- Two alleged administration supporters were mauled Tuesday during a "people's court" hearing on various charges against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo held at the University of the Philippines (UP) Theater in Diliman, Quezon City.
Several other participants mauled Jun Alamo and Arnel Balili, of the Alliance of Nationalism and Democracy (Anad), after the two, along with 20 others, reportedly disrupted proceedings of the Citizens' Congress for Truth and Accountability (CCTA).
Anad is reportedly headed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. It previously figured in campaigns against progressive party-list organizations, militant groups and civil society organizations critical of the Arroyo administration.
Alamo and Balili sustained several bruises after several persons ganged up on them. Balili suffered a contusion in the left eye when one of the congress delegates punched him.
When CCTA spokesperson Maria Serena Diokno introduced the convenors and members of the citizens' congress at 10:30 a.m., Alamo's group held up placards denouncing the group, called delegates communists, and demanded a stop to the proceedings.
Alamo said the congress hearing should not be allowed to proceed because it would "only destroy democracy in the country being enjoyed by majority of the Filipinos." He said communism advocates organized the so-called "people's court" to advance their interest.
He shouted that Arroyo is the country's legitimate president as he and his companions were taken out of the building by CCTA marshals.
Arroyo supporters tried to distribute copies of a statement signed by Anad spokesperson Roberto Salonga accusing CCTA of being a "Maoist-communist-terrorist facade" and called Diokno and other CCTA conveners--Sister Mary Jane Mananzan, Romeo Capulong and militant congressmen--as "communists".
Salonga also criticized UP officials for allowing the event to be held in their premises.
CCTA spokesperson Diokno said the Arroyo administration's threats of mass arrest and its "unruly" delegates failed to disrupt and discredit the proceedings of the citizens' congress.
Diokno urged Anad to participate in the proceedings instead of creating havoc.
She said CCTA conveners will look into the incident. "The CCTA has formed a committee that would investigate the reported scuffle that took place outside the hall and render a report to the conveners. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if a member of the congress is found to have taken part in the scuffle," she said.
After the incident, the CCTA hearing went on with former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. presiding over the activity.
Lawyer Cybill Uytiempo represented Environment Secretary Michael Defensor in the proceedings. She said the environment secretary, who earlier claimed he would attend the CCTA hearing to refute allegations of election cheating against President Arroyo, sent her to the hearing but only as an "observer".
Guingona, in a speech, reiterated that the CCTA's creation is legal as he said it does not usurp the functions of any public office but only exercises acts in accordance with Section 15, Article 13 of the 1987 Constitution.
He said the people's congress does not render a verdict but it seeks to ferret out in orderly proceedings the presentation of facts behind the election fraud charges and other controversies confronting the President. He also said: "It is not unjust. It gives notice and opportunity to all who may feel aggrieved."
"Those in power may ridicule this humble process; they will only end up making a mockery of themselves. They threaten us with reprisals. No effect. We will not relent. We will pursue this process with vim, vigor and vitality--confident that in the end--the people will persevere," he said.
During the proceeding, opposition congressmen Francis Escudero of Sorsogon and Alla Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros said they would present in the CCTA evidence proving that cheating took place in last year's presidential elections in favor of the President.
Escudero said the people need the citizens' congress so they would know the truth behind allegations of election fraud and other charges in the failed amended impeachment complaint against the President that they did not get from the House of Representatives, which dismissed the impeachment case on "a mere technicality".
He said somewhere along the way, President Arroyo may be given a chance to answer and refute the charges.
Cayetano presented a video that showed how alleged cheating was perpetrated during the May 2004 presidential elections. The video also revealed conversations by several individuals, including between President Arroyo and then Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, in the controversial "Hello Garci tapes".
He asked the President to face up to the challenge and submit to the CCTA any evidence that will clear her name of the allegations. "The President should answer the charges and should not let the people get mad," he said.
Cayetano said they will present at least four to five witnesses to the CCTA in its next session set at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the UP College of Social Work and Development Building.
The CCTA is investigating Arroyo's alleged involvement in the 2004 election rigging, "Hello Garci tapes", political killings, and human rights abuses under her term, misuse of public funds and the kidnapping issue. It has also included other alleged anomalous or unlawful acts in its inquiry like the Venable LLB contract, Executive Order (EO) 464, and the calibrated pre-emptive response (CPR).
President Arroyo can participate and present her side or counter the evidence against her at any stage of the proceedings either through her lawyers or representatives.
Upon the conclusion of the proceedings, the CCTA will furnish the President with copies of all the testimonials, documentary and objective evidence and will be given 15 days to respond or present evidence. The lawyer-presenters will make sure that all official and public statements of Arroyo and her supporters and other documentary evidence on the issues will be presented to the CCTA.
The CCTA urged Arroyo to attend the people's hearing or to send a representative to defend herself from the charges as it vowed to continue to send invitations to the President. (JFF/JPM/Sunnex)
(November 9, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Cebu prelate, rights office fret over 102 killings