Threat of ‘opportunistic destabilization’ real — GMA

President Arroyo called for calm and vigilance yesterday as the controversy over the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. continued unresolved.

The President said she is not trying to scare the people over possible new destabilization threats against her administration, rather just trying to return the focus of the people on maintaining peace and order and striving for unity.

In a statement, the President downplayed reported new rumblings in the military supposedly opposing her moves to mediate in the impeachment row.

"We would like our people to be vigilant, but we are not raising any loud alarms," she said. "The threat of opportunistic destabilization always runs parallel with transient political controversies and we must not take any chances or lower our guard."

"This is not distracting our people," the President said, "but refocusing their attention upon the basic imperatives of law and order, institutional respect and national unity."

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said there is "no specific threat" of new destabilization plots against the Arroyo administration related to the impeachment controversy, "but it doesn’t harm us to take some measures, stay alert and monitor things, but there (are) no specific threats."

Meanwhile, 40 non-government and cause-oriented groups announced that they have decided to unite as one organization that intends to stop the transmittal of the impeachment complaint against Davide to the Senate.

The Stop the Impeachment Movement (SIM) said it will launch massive protest actions in key cities nationwide to stop the transmittal of the articles of impeachment to the Senate until Congress resumes session on Nov. 10.

SIM spokesman Bong Montesa said they will mobilize thousands of people to conduct the group’s largest rally in Makati City on Nov. 10 if the Davide impeachment controversy remains unresolved by then.

SIM urged the people to help it save Davide and the country’s democracy by calling up, sending text messages and sending letters by e-mail or regular mail to the congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint against Davide and urging them to withdraw their signatures from the complaint.

SIM also urged the people to campaign against congressmen up for re-election in 2004 if they refuse to withdraw their signatures.

Groups at the launch of SIM included Bagong Bandila, Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas, Isang Tugon and representatives from the youth, farmers, business, education, and government sectors.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed 400 riot policemen on standby in case violence erupts between pro- and anti-Davide groups.

PNP director for community relations Ricardo de Leon said, "there are mass actions. We have to be ready all the time... because of the Davide issue."

Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said the PNP is back on "normal" alert, despite the presence of four companies of Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel at the PNP grandstand at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Some 2,000 militants from the Kilusan para sa Makatarungang Lipunan at Gobyerno (KLMG) staged a rally in front of the Supreme Court building on Padre Faura street in Manila to press for the impeachment of Davide.

Met by riot police and prevented from entering the SC compound in Manila, the placard-bearing protesters decried efforts to stop the transmittal of the impeachment complaint against Davide from the House of Representatives to the Senate.

During their hour-long rally, the KLMG questioned Davide’s disbursement of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) and the appointment of his son to a sensitive post in the SC bids and awards committee, which, they said, is a violation of the Anti-Nepotism Law.

"Even if the Chief Justice has found the technical legalese" to stop Congress from scrutinizing the JDF books and "exercise (its) constitutionally mandated oversight function over public funds, he cannot still deny the people’s right to know the truth," KLMG spokesman Herman Tiu-Laurel said.

Vested Interests

Montesa linked the impeachment move against Davide to Supreme Court’s decisions on cases involving national interest, such as the declaration of the coconut levy funds as public in nature, which will affect the 20 percent stake in San Miguel Corp. (SMC) of businessman and Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.

He also cited other SC rulings that may have triggered the impeachment complaint against Davide: Forfeiture of the $680-million Marcos Swiss bank accounts in favor of government, the reopening of the Kuratong Baleleng multiple murder case against opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and the SC ruling affirming the legitimacy of the Arroyo administration.

The People Power Laban sa Meralco also linked the Lopez family to the move to impeach Davide because of the SC decision ordering the Lopez-owned Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to refund P28 billion in overcharges to consumers.

"Apparently, these progressive decisions have made disparate and desperate groups conspire against the Supreme Court and lunge for the jugular," Montesa said.

"We therefore call on all the congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint to withdraw their signatures and place the country above self — or else face the people’s anger in the coming May 2004 elections," he said.

Pro-Davide groups said the impeachment move against the Chief Justice is a political ploy to protect vested interests, particularly those of Cojuangco.

Resignation Of Government

United opposition preparatory committee chairman and former senator Francisco Tatad, meanwhile, called on the President to adopt an exit scenario for her entire government to save the country from total disintegration.

In a statement, Tatad said, "the political equivalent of ‘mercy killing’ may be the only option left, if our institutions are to be saved."

"The only solution, under the circumstances, is the resignation of the entire government and the establishment of a new government, if necessary, under a temporary Constitution," Tatad said. "It is neither ideal or orthodox, but it may be the only approach that could work."

He said the resignation of the entire Supreme Court, as demanded by some sectors, is "necessary, but not sufficient to solve the present crisis. The whole thing began with Mrs. Arroyo and she should take the lead."

"Even if all the justices resign, Mrs. Arroyo would still be left to appoint new justices," he added. "If we wait for a new president to take over in June 30, 2004 ... we would be stuck with the same justices, who believe they are above due process. The crisis then continues." – Marichu Villanueva, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Aurea Calica, Christina Mendez