The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) warned Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Reynato Puno yesterday against being endorsed for president by “people with questionable reputation” like Senator Panfilo Lacson.
VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez said there are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” circling around the country’s newest “presidentiable.”
“Puno must be careful of people with questionable reputation and cases urging him to run for president,” Jimenez told The STAR.
He added that Nilo Tayag, a founder of the martial law-era youth group Kabataang Makabayan who is now a pastor of the Iglesia Catolica Filipina Independiente, is another example of someone with allegedly questionable reputation.
Tayag launched over the weekend a signature campaign aimed at gathering two million signatures to convince Puno to seek the presidency in next year’s national polls.
According to the Aglipayan bishop, Puno is a man of principle and is the embodiment of everything that is not traditional politics.
Jimenez said Lacson has pending cases before the SC in relation to the Kuratong Baleleng case, which means that being endorsed by the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief is “very dangerous.”
“(We) hope the Chief Justice will not allow himself to be dragged into our dirty politics,” the anti-crime advocate said.
Jimenez issued the statement after so-called support for the Puno for President campaign poured in, with Lacson himself offering to forego his own ambition of running for the highest post in the land.
The Chief Justice was urged to run in 2010 after he called for a moral force that will bring the country back to its feet through reforms.
Puno, who appears to be thinking about running, has said he will consult his “advisers” about the matter, referring to his three young grandchildren.
Man of integrity
Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz yesterday supported calls of politicians and civil society leaders for Puno to run for president in the May 2010 elections.
Cruz, a staunch critic of the Arroyo administration, said he has always believed in the integrity of the Chief Justice, adding he has the right amount of virtue to be a leader in the country.
“I have always believed that he is a man of integrity and character and has the credibility and right amount of morality which the current administration is empty of,” Cruz said in an interview.
Cruz, a former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, however, admitted that it would be difficult to predict whether Puno will heed the call to run for public office.
He said if ever Puno decides to run in 2010, it would not happen without sacrifices.
“It could also be a win-loss situation because it will be hard for him to run for the 2010 elections during the same year he is set to retire. It means he will have to resign (as chief justice) before his term ends to be able to campaign,” Cruz said.
SC spokesman Midas Marquez earlier said Puno was unlikely to seek the presidency. – With Helen Flores