“Hindi lang ako nandito para sumuporta kundi maging isa sa mga complainants,” (I am not here merely to support but to be one of the complainants.) said the former vice president. “I think in the coming months, there will be overwhelming pressure (on Congress).”

Gungona was hit by water cannons, together with other protesters, in a rally in Mendiola in defiance of the Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR) policy by the Arroyo administration, which was later declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“That is not the way to run the government,” said Guingona, “which is contrary to the way of the people.”

Among his co-complainants was Ferdinand Gaite, the national president of the Confederation of Unions for the Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage).

Gaite said even government employees are also victims of “dictatorial powers” of their boss, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He cited the CPR and Presidential Proclamation 1017 that were used by the Arroyo administration as justification for “violently dispersing” protesters who include restive government employees. He also cited other alleged repressive issuances such as Executive Order 366, which resulted in the widespread streamlining of government agencies.

Lawyer Neri Colmenares said that it is “technically” another complaint but it has almost the same content as the complaint filed on June 26. He said that separate complaints will be filed on Wednesday and Thursday by other groups.

Colmenares added that by next week, a complaint of intervention will be filed at Nazareno’s office. With this, anybody will be free to sign the complaint at the secretary general’s office, he said.

“This is to accommodate more citizens and people’s organizations,” he said.

But House majority leader Prospero Nograles earlier said that no matter how many complainants sign the complaint, it should still be endorsed by 79 lawmakers.

“That is very strange for a supposed representative of the people to say that it does not matter what the people say for as long as you do not have the support of the members of the House of Representatives, especially from the majority party,  walang mangyayari sa complaint n’yo,” (nothing will happen to your complaint) said Colmenares.

“They should listen to the voice of their constituency at hindi lang daanin sa numero,” (and not to merely use their numbers) he added.

Exactly one year ago today, President Arroyo made a public apology for her “lapse in judgment” for speaking over the phone with a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official. Guingona said that the president should “reexamine her conscience.”

“Words of apology that do not come from the soul do not have any meaning,” he said. Bulatlat

BACK TO TOP ■  PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION  ■   COMMENT

© 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.