Anti-GMA forces pushed Aquino to file more charges

Various groups and personalities formed the Gloria Panagutin Movement (Gloria Panagutin, Wag Patakasin) as they anticipate more maneuvers by the Arroyo camp to escape accountability.

Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Pagbabago! Co-Chairperson and Co-Chair of the Association of Major Religious Superiors, veteran actress and writer Bibeth Orteza, whistleblower Engr. Jun Lozada, Atty. Edre Olalia of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), Bayan Chair Dr. Carol P. Araullo, Mrs. Edith Burgos and Pagbabago! Convenor Fr. Joe Dizon came together and resolved to make the necessary actions to thwart the Arroyo camp’s maneuvers and push the Aquino administration to file more cases against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Gloria Panagutin Movement called on the public to be vigilant on the Arroyo camp’s various maneuvers to escape accountability. The group joined a protest at the Supreme Court during Tuesday’s en banc session.

“The Arroyo camp has still a hefty warchest and a reliable ally in the Supreme Court. We take vigilance as majority of the Supreme Court justices may still act according to political patronage. The Supreme Court could still give GMA a ticket out of jail and even out of the country,” said Fr. Joe Dizon, Pagbabago! Spokesperson.

For his part, Atty. Edre Olalia said while the Aquino administration has legal options in prosecuting the Arroyos, the latter could always go to the Supreme Court where they have the numbers.

“The Arroyos will not run out of cards to play as long as they have the numbers in the Supreme Court. So what really matters now, apart from sound legal tactics, is the political decisiveness of the Aquino Administration,” said Atty. Olalia

The group noted that it took Malacañang too long to file the electoral sabotage case and has not acted on many other cases compromising the certainty of making Arroyo accountable for her crimes against the people.

“The Aquino administration should not give the Arroyos leeway to delay the filing of cases any further. It should be decisive in foiling Arroyo’s maneuvers and make sure that this electoral sabotage case goes through. There should be no compromise,” said Dr. Araullo.

Complainants led by Dr. Araullo through their lawyers filed before the Ombudsman on Monday a motion to deny another extension of filing counter-affidavits by the Arroyos and a motion to resolve and file the NBN-ZTE plunder case at the Sandiganbayan.

The group prompted Malacañang to file plunder and rights violation charges against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pending before the Ombudsman and the Quezon City Trial Court.

“Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts are also liable for human rights violations such as extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances. There are already cases filed by various groups and victims of human rights violations but Malacañang has not lifted a finger on these cases,” said Mrs. Edith Burgos, mother of Jonas Burgos who was abducted during the Arroyo admiand gone missing since.

University of the Philippines Regent Bibeth Orteza also pointed out that should the Court grant Mrs. Arroyo hospital arrest, it should be in a government hospital like the Philippine General Hospital. Orteza recounted that the late Crispin Beltran paid for his own hospital bills while in arrest in the Heart Center of the Philippines, while the pregnant detainees of the Morong 43 were placed in hospital arrest in PGH.

The Gloria Panagutin Movement pushed for the filing of cases such as the NBN-ZTE Deal and fertilizer fund plunder cases with the Ombudsman and the civil case filed by members of the Morong 43 (health workers illegally arrested and detained in Morong, Rizal) and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.