CBCP mobilizes for Nov. 4 rally

Catholic bishops are mobilizing people for a nationwide prayer rally on Saturday to pressure President Estrada to resign.

In Rome, the Pontificio Collegio Filippino — an organization of Filipino priests and religious leaders — has joined the clamor for the President to step down to "restore confidence in our democratic institutions and in our economy."

Meanwhile, exiled communist leader Jose Ma. Sison has urged anti-government rally organizers "to fill all streets leading to the Palace with at least one million people who are ready to camp out until (President) Estrada announces his resignation."

Archbishop of Cotabato Orlando Quevedo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), told reporters yesterday he has instructed the bishops to lead the "mobilization for prayer" in their dioceses.

"Our people need pastoral assistance to reflect on the present situation, especially on the relationship between their daily lives and national problems, such as the accelerating collapse of the peso or the serious loss of confidence in the President," he said.

Quevedo said Saturday’s prayer rally at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City will be led by Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin, along with Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and former presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos.

CBCP spokesman Msgr. Hernando Coronel told reporters Quevedo has called on Catholics "to pray for our leaders that they may place the common good above private and partisan interests, and that they may be open to God’s enlightenment."

Coronel said that as early as Oct. 31, the CBCP has been coordinating with all the dioceses throughout the country for updates on their programs of action for the Nov. 4 simultaneous prayer rallies.

"This is the time of the year when we pause to remember and pray specifically for our dear departed," he said. "But we must not forget that these are also critical times for our country."

In a statement signed by its rector, Msgr. Ruperto Santos, the Pontificio Collegio Filippino said: "We believe that President Joseph Estrada has lost the moral ascendancy to lead our people."

The organization also urged the House of Representatives "to hasten the process of transferring the political leadership" to the "constitutionally recognized" successor. An impeachment complaint against the President is pending in the chamber.

"At this critical time in our nation’s history, we call upon our fellow Filipinos to avoid apathy and indifference," read the statement. "We all must act together so that the good of our nation prevails."

The Pontificio Collegio Filippino said public officers should use their authority to serve the people, "as our faith teaches us": leadership is essentially service.

In the Netherlands, Sison said Mr. Estrada will "continue to ignore demands for his resignation" unless anti-government rallyists surround Malacañang.

"Estrada is dying politically but is not dead yet," he said. "The final death blow is still to be delivered."

Sison said Mr. Estrada must be ousted "before the start of the Christmas holidays" to prevent the Chief Executive from "stirring up more political turmoil" and "aggravating the ruin" of the economy.

Sison said private vehicles must be parked at "various choke points (to) paralyze the movement of military and police cars and allow the people to march from various parts of Metro Manila to the vicinity of the Palace."

Sison said "religious and women’s organizations, and prominent political leaders" must lead the demonstrations to discourage Malacañang from ordering "any physical attack" on the protesters.

On the other hand, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said yesterday its affiliate in the United States, Bayan International-USA, and the US Alliance for Estrada’s Ouster Now are set to hold rallies in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C.

The militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said in a statement yesterday they are preparing to launch a nationwide work stoppage as part of the campaign to oust Mr. Estrada.

Victor Briz, BMP president, said the date of the protest is yet to be finalized pending consultation with their local affiliates, especially in the provinces and allied union leaders in the Kapatiran ng mga Pangulo ng Unyon sa Pilipinas.

"The workers who have suffered under Estrada’s virulent anti-labor offensives will not be cowed by General Reyes’s nor General Lacson’s veiled threats," read the statement. "We call on organized labor and the working class to unite and consolidate for this decisive push against Estrada which may yet be the climatic battle and the straw that breaks the camel’s back," he said.

Briz said Vice President Arroyo and "the entire government" must resign with Mr. Estrada to pave the way for a thorough reform of the system.

"As this is a fight between good and evil, then we must not simply choose between the lesser of two evils," he said. "The people have a third way –to fight for good government through political and electoral reforms."

BMP leader and Sanlakas party-list Rep. Renato Magtubo, for his part, said workers will maximize the use of pressure of the parliament of the streets to neutralize Mr. Estrada’s strategies to cling to power.

"Estrada has made it clear as daylight in his late-night speech that he will not resign no matter what and in fact dares the opposition to impeach him knowing he can buy off their votes," Magtubo said.

Meanwhile, Tomas Millamena, obispo maximo (supreme bishop) of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church), denounced Mr. Estrada yesterday for failing to recognize that his resignation would be constitutional because the public has already lost confidence in his administration.

"The 1987 Constitution, in particular, enshrined the legacy of EDSA in its first principle: ‘The Philippines is a democratic and republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them’," he said.

RAM in US wants Estrada to quit

LAS VEGAS – Members of the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) US chapter are circulating a petition for the resignation of President Estrada.

Most RAM members are from this city and California. They gave the following reasons for demanding that the President step down: graft and corruption, cronyism, and the country’s worsening economic problems.

Randy Regalado, RAM coordinator in the US, told The STAR yesterday they will send the petition to the Philippines through Col. Antonio Diaz, a RAM executive who is due to return home next week.

Regalado said he distributed copies of the petition during a gathering of Filipinos here last Tuesday while handing out application forms for RAM.

The petition was signed by all who were in the gathering, he added.

Regalado said he fears that the situation in the Philippines would worsen if President Estrada digs in and rejects calls for his resignation.

Ric Vytioco, another RAM member, said most members of RAM-USA chapter are civilians who want to assist RAM in the Philippines to pursue its objectives.

Applicants get a lifetime membership and an identification card signed by Commodore Domingo Calajate after paying a one-time fee of $10, he added.

Filipinos here, like those in Honolulu, keep abreast of political developments in the Philippines through the Internet and the Filipino channel of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. — Sandy Araneta, Benjie Villa, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano, Efren Danao