Mediation is now moot and academic

CEBU, Philippines - The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma yesterday said they are no longer mediating the conflict between President Benigno Aquino and Chief Justice Reynato Corona.

Palma said he was not also officially asked to intervene by any of the party involved. Besides, the prelate believes that the impeachment of Corona in the House of Representatives renders any mediation effort moot and academic.

“At this moment, it is no longer the ideal approach” Palma said, adding that they do not want to influence the process impending impeachment trial before the Senate.

Palma, however, said that he still hopes that the conflict will be resolved in some other way without going through too much conflict.

Palma said he wishes for peace and joy this Christmas despite the happenings that has saddened the nation and the church. The Archbishop announced his wishes in his homily during the dawn mass.

“When you go around the country, time and again people would express their concern and worry,” he said, adding that, “Definitely deep in our hearts we treasure unity and sense of cooperation but as it appears now, it certainly is not the picture.”

Palma said that they have ‘friends’ in the three branches of the government like judges, lawyers and politicians who open up and express their hope for the conflicts to end.

“Even if sometimes it’s not easy to cling to hope, as Christians, we should not give up hoping. In the Philippines, there is more reason to hope because the fact that we are a Christian nation, and by experience, when people are believers, they are more hopeful than others who are non believers.”

Corona’s impeachment has divided Cebuanos, especially our lawmakers.

But, Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia said this is happening because “There is freedom and democracy in Cebu.”

Garcia was among the four Cebuano lawmakers in the House of Representatives who did not sign the articles of impeachment saying he is not convinced of the points raised against Corona.

Other Cebuano lawmakers who did not sign along with Garcia are his son, Rep. Pablo John Garcia (3rd district); Rep. Eduardo Gullas (1st district) and Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Cebu-based Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (Anad Partylist).

Those who signed are Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (4th district); Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th district), Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano IV (5th district); Rep. Rachel del Mar (Cebu City, north) and Rep. Raymund Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP Partylist).

Cebu City south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña and Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza were not around during the voting last week.

Garcia said the Cebuanos really can’t agree on a certain issue like that of the impeachment complaint against Corona.

“Lain-lain man ta og panan-aw, we look at from different angle. Sa ako panan-aw dili pa, para nila panahona na, ila kana obligasyon to prove,” Garcia said.

Garcia said that there is now the feeling of “anxiety and uncertainty” while the people are watching on the development of the case.

Even the Cebu judges were divided on the issue showing the result of the informal survey wherein 50 judges believe the impeachment would adversely affect the judiciary while 46 believed otherwise.

Recently, the Cebu-based volunteer group that supported Aquino’s presidential bid in 2010 also joined the campaign to impeach Corona.

The group though did not ask Corona to step down but they only asked him to go through the impeachment process.

Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson, one of the 23 senator-judges of the impeachment trial, yesterday promised to use “wisdom and conscience” in deciding the case.

Lacson was in Cebu last Friday as guest speaker during the opening of the “Heroes Hall” at the Norkis Hall in Mandaue City.

 “I swore on my parents’ graves to use my wisdom and conscience when I cast my vote on the matter,” Lacson told reporters. (FREEMAN)