AS PRESIDENT SLATES VISIT: Pangasinan execs urged to take anti-Estrada stand

DAGUPAN CITY — Leaders of various civic, religious and non-government groups here have signed a manifesto urging the province’s elected officials to take a principled stance against President Estrada "to spare the future generations of Pangasinenses and other Filipinos from moral bankruptcy and further economic dislocation."

The appeal was apparently meant to stop the Pangasinan Mayors’ League, headed by Mayor Carlito Zaplan of Sta. Barbara town, from declaring their support for Mr. Estrada when he visits San Carlos City on Nov. 30 to inaugurate some projects.

It will be Mr. Estrada’s first time to visit Pangasinan, home province of former President Fidel Ramos, since he assumed office. Mr. Ramos is among those calling for Mr. Estrada’s resignation.

Mr. Estrada was originally slated to visit the province last Nov. 13, but had to postpone it to attend the leaders’ summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Brunei.

Among those who signed the manifesto were Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese, Bishop Jesus Cabrera of the Alaminos Diocese, lawyer Delmer Cruz of Erap AGCO, Ed Mendoza of the Pangasinan Federation of Farmers Cooperative, Aglipayan priest Terry Rebollido, Methodist district superintendent Manny Fredas and Dante Marinas, president of the La Tondeña Workers Union.

"We urge our Pangasinan leaders to invest in the future of our youth and our children and rise above personal convenience, political expediency and camaraderie among colleagues," the manifesto states.

The signatories expressed hope that provincial leaders "will soon join us in our crusade to press for the resignation or immediate removal of President Estrada, guided by their patriotism, sense of judgment and conscience that is ever present in all of us."

The manifesto adds: "This is not about the big amount of projects that go to the towns, cities and the province. This is not about future political favors nor pleasing a colleague who is enamored and beholden to the present administration. It all boils down to character and to principles anchored on the basic tenet that ‘a public office is a public trust which must not be used for personal enrichment, abuse and usurpation of the people’s basic rights."

The manifesto was in apparent reaction to a press statement earlier issued by the provincial information office that 43 Pangasinan mayors reportedly signed a statement of support for the Estrada administration.

Some mayors, however, clarified that they signed the statement to support "constitutional processes," not Mr. Estrada.

Welcoming the President and his party in San Carlos City on Nov. 30 are Gov. Victor Agbayani, City Mayor Julian Resuello and Mayor Zaplan.

Three of the province’s congressmen were invited to give their messages during a program at the San Carlos plaza. They are Reps. Teddy Cruz, Generoso Tuagan and Amadito Perez Jr., of the second, third and fifth districts, respectively, all supporters of Mr. Estrada.

The three other Pangasinan congressmen, Hernani Braganza, Benjamin Lim and Ranjit Shahani, of the first, fourth and sixth districts, respectively, signed the impeachment complaint against Mr. Estrada.

During the program, Zaplan, Vice Mayor Ansberto Cagampan and councilman Manuel Resuello of the Liga ng mga Barangay will reportedly present a declaration of support for the beleaguered Mr. Estrada.

During his three-hour visit, Mr. Estrada will turn over the newly built public market, lead the ceremonial switch-on of the P3-million barangay electrification project and groundbreaking of the P20.8-million dredging of the Cava Creek and be briefed on the construction of new school buildings for the San Carlos Central I and II.

Meanwhile, Church-led multisectoral groups will hold a massive anti-Estrada rally in this city in the afternoon of Nov. 30.