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.

Diliman Diary blog 11.20.2011

I disagree with Supreme Court spokeperson Justice Midas Marquez' assertions on television that it was always possible to throw the book at former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) after she had left the country. What is more important is to keep her in-country and let her account for her actions while in office.

If we let GMA leave under our own noses, due to legal infirmities exploited by GMA's lawyers, we will become the laughing stock of the whole world.

How is it that South Korea has jailed three of its former Presidents?

How is it that Saddam Hussein was tried in his own country, found guilty of crimes against humanity and hanged by the neck until dead by Iraq's justice system?

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak was ousted this year in a people's uprising and remains on trial for economic sabotage and allegations of corruption.

Let's face it, in all three instances the decision to put these people on trial was a political act exercised by the incumbent government in power. These governments demonstrated that they had the political will to put former rulers on trial for crimes against their respective national interests.

It's in the national interest of this country to demonstrate that nobody is above the law, beginning with putting on trial a former President.

President Benigno S. Aquino III has the mandate of the people to undertake his actions. The Supreme Court's composition, starting with Chief Justice Renato Corona (a midnight appointee of GMAs) and stuffed chock-full-o' GMA appointees has ... GMA's mandate.

On the balance, I prefer to place my trust and confidence in the Aquino administration over that of the GMA appointed Supreme Court.

Vox populi. Vox Dei.

(Posted by Chanda Shahani)

No Commentary is Really Needed: For One Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

(To enlarge the graphic, just click on it)

Editor's note: The following is a scan of the top half of the front page of the November 22, 2008 edition of the Manila Times showing a picture of the November 21, 2008 inauguration of the UP-AyalaLand Technohub along Commonwealth Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City. In the picture are former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ayala Land Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Outgoing U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman. We have uploaded this scan for its historical interest, as R.A. 9500 or the 2008 University of the Philippine Charter was signed by then-President Arroyo into law on April 29, 2008 which required transparent and public consultations among U.P.'s stakeholders which were not properly carried out. 

And history could have repeated itself again in what could constitute an even broader pattern of a lack of transparency in U.P., as more land deals were approved on January 27, 2011 by the U.P. Board of Regents (see: http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2011/01/last-minute-orgy-of-approved-land-deals.html), which Student Regent Jaque Eroles and Staff Regent Clodualdo "Buboy" Cabrera have opposed, as lacking the necessary requirement of having to undergo public consultation as required under R.A. 9500. 

If these land deals were approved but were not in accordance with the law, then they are -- especially in these more interactive times -- open to legal challenge from various interest groups, civic organizations, general members of the public or even the myriad numbers of bloggers populating the Diliman area.

Frankahan with Senator Franklin "Frank" Drilon: Can President Noynoy Aquino revoke GMA’s midnight appointments?

"According to media reports, from March 1 to March 9, President Arroyo appointed more than 170 persons to important government positions. These appointments allegedly beat the deadline on the 60-day ban on appointments prior to elections, which started on March 10."

"But are these appointments legal or are they invalid since they fall under the Constitutional prohibition on midnight appointments?"

"This question, it appears, will dominate the legal landscape of the country in the coming weeks. Allow me, however, to dissect the various legal principles and doctrines involved in this issue."

Read Senator Franklin "Frank" Drilon's entire blog post here:

Can President Nonynoy Aquino revoke GMA's midnight appointments?