Bishops warn of people power vs constituent assembly

MANILA, Philippines – Officials of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines yesterday warned of looming people power after the House of Representatives approved Resolution 1109, which calls on members of Congress to convene as a constituent assembly to propose amendments to the Constitution.

In an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas, Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso said if the Arroyo administration will connive with members of the House to railroad any Charter change move, a possible repeat of a people’s uprising could happen.

“There is really a possibility of another people power. Now that HR 1109 has been passed, it is expected that there would be several demonstrations against it in Metro Manila and in other parts of the country,” Medroso said.

He said the Church will rally behind the people who do not want to have any amendments to the present Constitution.

CBCP-Public Affairs Committee chairman Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said street rallies are possible as a result of HR 1109.

He also agreed that the congressmen who supported the resolution should be identified.

“If they are planning to become candidates and run in the next elections, then their constituents should know what they are doing. We should especially know where the move came from and what is their motive,” he said.

The bishops, however, pointed out that they are open to Charter amendments after the 2010 presidential polls.

‘Spiritual earthquake’

Evangelist Bro. Eduardo “Eddie” Villanueva yesterday threatened to initiate a “spiritual earthquake” in Malacañang and the House of Representatives if they continue to push for Charter change before the 2010 elections.

Villanueva, who heads the political party Bangon Pilipinas (BP), said in a press conference held at the Quezon City Sports Club that the alliance of the Sagip Bansa, of which BP is a member, could round up their combined five million to seven million members to demonstrate their opposition to the implementation of House Resolution 1109.

The Sagip Bansa alliance is made up of the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM), Intercessors for the Philippines (IP), Jesus is Lord (JIL) and Bagong Pilipino, Bagong Pilipinas Movement (BPBPM).

The BP had an emergency meeting last Wednesday after Congress passed HR 1109.

“Our main focus, aside from galvanizing millions of people, (is that) we will pull down the stronghold of demonic spirit in Malacañang and Congress by the power of prayer, and we do hope that with God’s divine intervention we would finally (come) and judge these stubborn perpetrators” who have made the Filipino suffer because of their greed for power and money.

The evangelist believed that staging a spiritual earthquake inside and outside Malacañang “is the only way to jolt the number 1 terrorist in our country. For us, they have reached the highest form of moral bankruptcy, Malacañang and Congress, to use Cha-cha to perpetuate themselves in power.”

One of BP’s convenors, Rudolfo Alvarez, said that a “terrorist” could take many forms but the worst kind of terrorist is one who “eats away your country’s soul.”

However, Villanueva said that at the moment, they have not started mobilizing their members and are only giving fair warning to the legislators and their mastermind, whom he did not identify.

Meantime, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, a known constitutionalist and dean emeritus Ateneo University graduate school of law, said that he was not bothered by the action of the House of Representatives.

“It really, really doesn’t mean anything now because it doesn’t begin to work until they start formulating amendments. All they said is we will formulate amendments. So they haven’t done anything yet. In other words, all they said is we will violate the Constitution. We will just wait for them to violate the Constitution,” he added.

OFWs joining rallies

Filipino workers employed in various countries are also gearing for massive protests to dramatize their opposition against Charter change.

Members of the militant Migrante-ME said OFWs in the region are ready to take action, including holding rallies, to stop the government from amending the Constitution through a constituent assembly.

In a statement, Migrante-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said OFWs will urge their relatives not to vote for congressmen who will favor a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution.

Former President Joseph Estrada also urged yesterday civil society groups, the opposition and the Filipino people to exercise all means to stop Charter Change through the hastily approved HR 1109.

No widespread unrest

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) would allow militant and left-leaning groups to stage protest rallies to air their grievances against the move by Congress to amend the Constitution but these “should be within the bounds of the law.”

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales directed his five district directors to strictly exercise maximum tolerance and protect the human rights of the protesters.

“I’m urging the different groups who are against amending the Constitution to secure permits from city mayors so we can run after their leaders once violence erupts,” said Rosales amid reports that militant groups opposing the amendment of the Constitution are planning a large-scale protest action on Monday.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., however, is confident that the controversial passage of HR 1109 will not trigger widespread unrest.

Teodoro also assured the public that the military will thwart attempts by any group that might take advantage of the situation, especially the New People’s Army (NPA).

“The con-ass is a legitimate public issue for debate and no revolution will take place,” Teodoro told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Councilors’ Visayas Island Congress at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu.

Even PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa maintained there is no serious threat to national security amid the con-ass issue. – With Non Alquitran, Jaime Laude, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin