Militants stage protest at Supreme Court

3 MIN READ

BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 15) — Militant groups held a rally here Tuesday near the Supreme Court session hall and urged the Justices to reverse their earlier ruling which granted executive privilege to ex-NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) head Romulo Neri not to give the Senate hearing certain information on the alleged anomalous NBN-ZTE deal.

Some 150 protesters from militant groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) coming from Manila were joined by hundreds from its local chapter Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and held the program some 50 meters from the SC session hall here.

Some 150 protesters from militant groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) from Manila and another 100 from its local chapter Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) held a program Tuesday morning some 50 meters away from the Supreme Court in Baguio City. Photo courtesy of Ace Alegre

At least two companies of anti-riot policemen blocked the streets leading to the gates of the SC compound here but Baguio City police director Sr. Supt. Moises Guevarra explained that the protesters were free to rally. They have to restrain them from going further towards the gates so that the SC Justices session will not be disrupted, Guevarra added.

Actor Rez Cortez said in jest before the rallyists that we should fear people who rape the nation and go unpunished, obviously taunting corrupt officials including the Pres. Gloria Arroyo.

“We know we have enough public opinion for the Justices to heed the call of the Filipino nation,” Bayan’s Renato Reyes said.

Social activist RC Constantino admitted although there are hopes for the Justices to heed the Motion for Reconsideration of its earlier ruling on the Neri case and inhibit and eventually rule in the favor of truth.

He however has no high expectations from Justices who he said “are mostly loyal to GMA”. If ever, he continued, “it may turn out to me as a pleasant surprise.” He however warned, “but they will be surprised with that the people will show them.”

While the demonstration outside the SC compound was ongoing, Chief Justice Reynato Puno received in behalf of the Justices an “Open Letter” which stated: “Executive privilege is subordinate to the higher values of transparency and accountability in governance, except on rare occasions such as declared wars when secrecy of executive moves is of greater interest to national security.”

The open letter were signed by 37 personalities that included RC Constantino, Bishops of the Anglican, Aglipayan and other denominations, Sister Mary John Mananzan, Atty. Adel Tamano of the UNO, and other leaders of civil society groups. The letter reiterated the inhibition of the Justices Renato Corona, Arturo Brion and Presbiterio Velasco “to remove any doubt of partiality” on the SC’s ruling on the Motion for Reconsideration.

After an hour and a half program near the SC hall, the protesters went down Session Road minutes before noon and held a short rally at the People’s Park.

Meanwhile in Manila, Senate Majority Leader and Independent Sen. Kiko Pangilinan renewed his call for the three Supreme Court Justices to inhibit themselves from the said case saying “the need for impartiality is paramount and perceived lack of it is ground to inhibit.”

While still in the process of getting a consensus with fellow senators on filing for inhibition, Kiko said “At this point, as an officer of the Senate I am caught between my primary duty to push for an institutional response and pursuing the inhibition motion based on my personal stand. It cannot simply be a setting aside of the sentiments of the majority of the senators in order to pursue my own position. There are institutional considerations. Whether or not I subordinate my personal position to that of the Senate as an institution, is a dilemma that needs to be resolved.”

Justice Brion who served as Pres. Arroyo’s labor secretary was only appointed post haste to the court in March 17, in the homestretch of the debates on the Neri case, the senator claimed, while Justice Velasco on the other hand admitted to playing golf with Neri only after he participated in the oral arguments. Justice Corona’s wife is a presidential appointee in Camp John Hay Corporation and signed a manifesto expressing unqualified support for the President during the time of the NBN controversy, Kiko bantered. # Ace Alegre with reports from Beverly Nanilen Pambid for NORDIS