BACOLOD Bishop Patricio Buzon considered the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as “very pathetic” and “very ironical.”
Buzon led the prayer rally held Friday night in front of San Sebastian Cathedral.
Speaking before a crowd of 200 Catholic faithful, Buzon said “the highest court of the land should be the authority and the last interpreter of the Philippine Constitution but it was marred with the judicial crisis where the very act of removing the Chief Justice was unconstitutional. The SC should be more intelligent than us.”
The bishop said there are many internal squabbles among themselves which are petty ones. The Supreme Court should be bigger than any of those squabbles.
Buzon said that it is sadder because the SC made themselves ready minions of the administration that doesn’t tolerate any opposition, whether individual or institution, that stand its way in the pursuit of a total, absolute power to control.
“That’s what scares me,” he added.
He urged the Catholic faithful to pray. "We pray to our power greater than this power that seems so formidable, thus we appeal to the power that is greater than earthly powers. We have faith that God's power is greater than any earthly power and at the same time, we need also to do our part more than just prayer.
He also said the public has to be vigilant. “We need to be vigilant to be stewards of these graces, this freedom, this democracy, the Constitution that embodies all these ideals of justice, truth, integrity, and humanity. We have to be vigilant and continue to express our defense. I believe that our human efforts would prevail.
He said he believes that God can unleash his power.
He pointed out that the people have seen the pattern of the administration which is they do away with the opposition who stand against their way.
They call such action as a dictatorship that is in the offing.
"Whatever opposition that it perceives, they knock it down. They did it to the Commission on Human Rights before, when people stood up against initiatives to change the Constitution, also against Senator Leila de Lima who was also very vocal against the administration. But different groups and persuasions unite to fight against these moves,” he said.
"I was surprised that the recent survey showed that 2/3 or 66% of our population against Charter Change. There are positive signs and we just continue to safeguard and be vigilant and express our views and stand in the defense of the Constitution. We will continue to defend our Constitution, the freedom that we have enjoyed that has been hard earned. Never again, we have been through dictatorship,” Buzon said.
He thanked the various concerned groups and the civil society for positively responding to the invitation of the Catholic Church for a praying meeting even on a short notice.
Buzon prayed for the intervention of God against all forces that will hamper the freedom of the people.
Prior to the prayer rally, militant groups held a protest at the Fountain of Justice to condemn the ouster of Sereno.
Michael de la Concepcion, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Negros, the granting of the quo warranto petition to remove the Chief Justice signals another serious regression in the system of checks and balance in the country.
De la Concepcion said it is another act of tyranny that only empowers the Executive, while further undermining whatever is left of the separation of powers of the three co-equal branches of government.
Constitutional safeguards have been demolished in favor of those who already wield tremendous power.
The people reject in the strongest terms this unjust decision of the High Court, he said.
“What was really on trial here were all three branches of government. The Executive maneuvered to remove the Chief Justice and consolidate its control over all the branches.
The Legislative embarked on a fishing expedition via impeachment hearings to destroy the reputation of the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court exposed itself as a willing tool in undermining judicial independence because they had an ax to grind against the Chief Justice,” he said.
All three branches of government have failed the people. All three branches have only exposed the rottenness of the current ruling system. There will be a time for accountability. Right now, the people are justified in their indignation. The people are right to protest the rising tyranny of the Duterte regime, he said.
He said: “In these dark times, the people are called on to stand together and resist. Makibaka, huwag matakot! Tuloy ang laban!”