Senate Minority Leader Teofisto Guingona Jr. belittled the huge turnout at yesterday’s prayer rally led by President Estrada, saying it’s a question of sincerity, not numbers.
"What must be considered is not the number of participants in rallies, but the people’s sincerity," Guingona said at yesterday’s weekly forum at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City.
Guingona deplored reports that local government officials compelled their constituents to attend the "Malacañang-inspired" prayer rally dubbed the National Day of Prayer and Fasting for Unity.
"Every employee has the right to choose, regardless of the agency, private or government. There should be no compulsion," he stressed.
Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin and former President Corazon Aquino led a similar prayer rally at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City last Nov. 4 to demand the resignation of the President.
Authorities placed the crowd in the Nov. 4 rally at 130,000 as against close to one million who participated in yesterday’s affair.
The militant Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) branded yesterday’s rally as a "conspiracy between the political and clerico opportunists."
In a statement, the PCPR said people must not be obliged or forced to go to a place to pray or to any prayer activity.
"It must be a voluntary act, not paid and hakot (ferried)," the statement said.
PCPR leader Robert de Castro accused President Estrada and Catholic priest Fr. Sonny Ramirez of "deception and opportunism."
"The Luneta rally is a farce prayer rally and a conspiracy between political opportunists and clerico-opportunist leaders. (El Shaddai leader Mike) Velarde and Fr. Ramirez in particular are wolves in sheep’s clothing who distort the liberating teachings of the scriptures," De Castro said.
At the same time, the PCPR announced that its regional, provincial and city chapters will participate in the projected Welgang Bayan on Tuesday.
It said all schools, including universities and seminaries owned by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, will cancel classes and join the work stoppage.
In Manila, marchers will assemble at the University of Santo Tomas overpass on España Street and the Holy Child Cathedral on Taft Avenue fronting the Philippine General Hospital at 10:30 a.m. before proceeding to Liwasang Bonifacio. Schools at the university belt are also expected to cancel classes and join the protest action.
In another development, anti-Estrada groups staged their own prayer rally in Cebu City to demand the ouster of the President.
Police said some 10,000 rallyists coming from various points marched toward Fuente Osmeña Rotonda to pray for Mr. Estrada’s resignation.
Thousands of placard-bearing members of the Cebu-based United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic and Aglipayan churches, the Alliance Labor Organization-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Sanlakas and the Islamic Federation Inc. joined the march.
New members of the so-called united opposition, notably Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon, also joined last week’s anti-Estrada rally in Mandaluyong City.
Villar led more than 45 congressmen in bolting the ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino of the President following charges that Mr. Estrada received more than P400 million in jueteng payoffs.
The move by Villar and his group of supporters virtually assured the immediate passage of an impeachment case against Mr. Estrada for subsequent trial at the Senate. - Cecille Suerte Felipe And Jaime Laude