Enrile: INC rally is political pressure

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CHIEF Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday said the peace rally organized by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) last week was “more like a political pressure to hinder a separate and independent department of the government to perform a constitutional duty.”

In a post on his Facebook account, Enrile pointed out that no grievances or issues that needed to be addressed were aired during INC’s January 13 “National Rally for Peace.”

“There is no question that the INC peace rally was a peaceful assembly. But were there grievances to be redressed? Pardon me for my impression — to me, there was none. To me, although it was well-intentioned, the peace rally was more like a political pressure to hinder a separate and independent department of the government to perform a constitutional duty. This was evident from the speeches delivered in that rally,” he said.

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The Iglesia ni Cristo religious group on January 13 led simultaneous peace rallies across the country, the largest of which was held at the Quirino Grandstand that was attended by an estimated 1.5 million members.

During the rally, organizers called for unity and asked the country’s officials to prioritize the solving of problems and promoting the welfare of the Filipinos instead of engaging in politicking.

The peace rally had been criticized by several sectors as a strategy to influence the impeachment proceedings at the House.

Prior to the actual rally, the INC had announced in its social media pages that the rally was intended to declare the group’s support to President Marcos Jr.’s position against moves at the House of Representatives to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.

At least three impeachment complaints have been filed against Duterte, accusing her, among others, of betrayal of public trust over the alleged irregular spending of the hundreds of millions of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when she was still the education secretary.

Enrile said that unlike the President, the INC should not stick its nose on proceedings in Congress.

“On the other hand, the President, as the duly elected Chief Executive of the land, and one of the three independent and separate branches of our government, has the power and duty to coordinate with the two other branches of our government to achieve and maintain a unity and harmony in the efficient operation of the government in our society,” he said.

He stressed: “No one can do that officially except him.”

Last week, Enrile warned in a Facebook post that the country could face a “very detrimental precedent” if government leaders would follow the calls and suggestions for the House to set aside the impeachment complaints raised during the INC peace rally.

He said then that while he was not against Duterte and respects the views of the INC and those who spoke during the rally, impeachment is beyond the ambit of any religious group as it is a constitutional legal process to remove a government official from his office, if there is a ground and evidence to support it.

“There is a bigger question. Can the INC with all its members amend the Constitution or suspend any of its provisions? Are we prepared to discard or sacrifice the value of rule of law for a person or a group of persons? Impeachment is just a constitutional legal process to remove a government official from his office if there is a ground and evidence to support it. The impeached official is not going to jail by the mere fact of his impeachment. As a nation and a state, we will incur a very detrimental precedent if we follow the logic implicit in the INC rally that they mounted. Are we prepared and ready to face the long-term consequences of that INC move?” Enrile said in his January 15 post.

In his Sunday post, Enrile acknowledged that many INC members were “riled and angry” at him for his previous post but maintained that he was merely stating his opinion.

“So many people, especially members of the INC, were so riled and angry at me for the post I made recently about the INC peace rally. I would like to explain why I made that post. I am not against the INC. I am fully aware that in this country, everyone, religious or not, is entitled to exercise the right of the people to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances,” he said.

He added: “This will be my last comment on the subject we are discussing. You have your own truth. I have my own. Neither you nor I have a monopoly of the truth. So be it. Let the voters decide who is right and who is wrong? I represent no partisan group in this country. I do not know whether you do. As far as the personal attacks and issues you raised against me — the faults, the blames, the defects, and wrongdoings you attributed to me, as well as the ad hominem you threw against me — I am ready, and willing to face anyone before the people in any forum to discuss and debate about them.”

‘HANDS OFF’

At the House, Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) yesterday urged the President not to get in the way of the impeachment process against the Vice President and just “let justice take its course.”

“President Marcos should not interfere with the impeachment process. Congress has a constitutional duty to process this case immediately. The people deserve accountability and transparency,” Castro said.

The President has made it clear that he is against impeaching Duterte even if their political alliance has already crumbled, saying engaging in such a lengthy political exercise would only tie down Congress because it would not be able to focus on legislation and other more important national issues.

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The Makabayan bloc, of which Castro is a part of, has been urging colleagues to sign and endorse their impeachment complaint against the Vice President but it has yet to gather steam until now.

“Some have promised to sign but it’s still all pledges. They’re probably waiting for the greenlight from upstairs (Malacañang),” a reliable House source who asked not to be identified said.

Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante has said that many congressmen believe there is not enough time left to pursue the impeachment in the 19th Congress, especially since only 10 sessions days are left before the 90-day campaign period for the midterm elections officially begins on February 11.

He also said that congressmen are also concerned that Duterte would only end up protected from any impeachment complaint for a year if the 19th Congress will not be able to finish the impeachment process before it adjourns sine die in June.

The complainants will have to wait for another year before they can file another complaint against the Vice President in case the 19th Congress fails to finish the proceedings because the Constitution provides that only one impeachment complaint can be initiated against an impeachable of ficial within a year.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is that an impeachment complaint is deemed initiated once the House plenary refers the complaint or consolidated complaints to the Committee on Justice.

Castro, an endorser of the impeachment complaint filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), called on fellow lawmakers to follow their conscience and heed their constituents’ call for “accountability and justice” by endorsing the complaint since getting enough numbers would automatically constitute the Articles of Impeachment.

“Kung makukuha agad ang 103 endorsers next week ay agad na maipapasa ito sa Senado at ‘di na poproblemahin ang bilang o pag-attend ng mga congressmen dahil Senado na bahala dito (If we can get 103 endorsers next week, it will be sent to the Senate and the attendance of congressmen in House impeachment hearings will no longer be a problem because the Senate will take over the trial),” she said.

Castro said the Senate can promptly tackle the impeachment complaint or call for a special session if necessary. – With Wendell Vigilia

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