This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com).
Vol. VI, No. 20, June 28, 2006
Youth Groups File
Impeach Raps against GMA, Launch Own Watchdog
BY
BULATLAT
The so-called hope of the
nation filed another impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo this morning, the fourth filed at the House of Representatives in four
days. Complainants, under the
broad coalition Youth Demanding Arroyo's Removal (Youth Dare), include youth
leaders Paolo Alfonso, University of the Philippines student council
chairperson, Henry Enaje, Polytechnic University of the Philippines student
council chairperson, Raymond Palatino, Youth Dare spokesperson and Kabataan
Partylist president, Marco delos Reyes, National Union of Students of the
Philippines (NUSP) president, Jose Cosido, College Editors Guild of the
Philippines (CEGP) president, Lengua de Guzman, Anakbayan chairperson, Vencer
Crisostomo, League of Filipino Students (LFS) chairperson, and Dion Cerrafon,
Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) chairperson. The complaint was endorsed
by Davao Rep. Elias Ruy Lopez. “Arroyo's continued rule
and her manuevers to stay in power compromises the future of our nation,"
Crisostomo said. The youth leaders accused
president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of “aggravating the education crisis by using
education funds for her moves to stay in power.” Crisostomo said that
instead of increasing the budget for education, the president allegedly “used up
the money intended for education for her political campaign.” The young leaders also said
that the Arroyo administration violated the law when the Commission on Higher
Education (CHEd) released Memorandum Order No. 14 that allegedly allowed
increases without due consultations and processes. Allowing “tuition increases
amidst the already high cost of private tertiary education is definitely a crime
against the youth,” said Crisostomo. He added that youth leaders
have also become victims of political killings, noting the case of Cris Hugo, a
member of the LFS national council and the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity in Bicol,
who was killed by hooded men men on March 19. Meanwhile, they also
launched i-MONITOR, the youth sector’s impeachment watchdog that aims to
mobilize youth support in the impeachment initiative. According to delos Reyes,
15 student council leaders from different universities have already signed up
for the i-MONITOR campaign. Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Media Center Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Posted 1:15 p.m., June 29, 2006
“If we witness another mockery of democracy happening in the halls of Congress,
the streets around Batasan will be filled with young, angry people that will not
let their intelligence be insulted the second time around,” warned Crisostomo.