MALAKANYANG NAGREAK SA KOMENTO NI ENRILE HINGGIL SA INC RALLY

NAGLABAS ng reaksyon ang Malacañang sa naging komento ni Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, ex-Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, na maaaring humarap ang bansa sa “very detrimental precedent” kung hindi masunod ang nais mangyari ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) nang isagawa nito ang National Rally for Peace noong Lunes, Enero 13.

Sa isang Facebook post nitong Miyerkules, Enero 15, nagbigay ng pananaw si Enrile hinggil sa impeachment pagkatapos ng rally ng INC.

“There is a bigger question. Can the INC with all its members amend the Constitution or suspend any of its provisions? Are we prepared to discard or sacrifice the value of RULE OF LAW for a person or a group of persons? Impeachment is just a constitutional legal process to REMOVE a government official from his office if there is a ground and evidence to support it. The impeached official is not going to jail by the mere fact of his impeachment,” diin ni Enrile. “As a nation and a state , we will incur a very detrimental precedent if we follow the logic implicit in the INC rally that they mounted. Are we prepared and ready to face the long term consequences of that INC move?”.

Sinabi ni Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin nitong Huwebes, Enero 16, na palaging bukas si Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. sa ideya ng mga miyembro ng kaniyang gabinete tulad ni Enrile.

Gayunpaman, nananatili aniya ang posisyon ng pangulo hinggil sa isyu ng nakahaing impeachment complaints laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.

“The president has always nurtured a culture of open ventilation of ideas within the Cabinet. In this way policymaking is enriched by diverse views resulting in decisions distilled from a wealth of varied experiences, different disciplines, and special expertise of those who contribute,” ani Bersamin.

“It is in this spirit that Secretary Enrile came forward with his views. While his thoughts may carry weight and are always valued, his is one of many that the President seriously considers.

“Nonetheless, the President’s stand on the issue concerned remains unchanged,” pahayag ni Bersamin.

Matatandaan Enero 13 nang magsagawa ang INC ng peace rally sa 13 sites sa iba’t ibang panig ng Pilipinas, kabilang na ang Quirino Grandstand sa Maynila na dinaluhan daw ng mahigit 1.58 milyon upang ipanawagan ang kapayapaan at pagkakaisa sa bansa.

Layunin din umano ng naturang rally ng INC ang pagpapaabot nila ng suporta sa pahayag ni Marcos noong nakaraang taon na huwag nang ituloy ang pagpapatalsik kay VP Sara.

Si VP Sara ay nahaharap sa tatlo hanggang apat na impeachment complaints sa Kamara. Ang tatlong nakasampang reklamo ay hinggil sa maling paggamit ng P612.5 milyong confidential funds ng Office of the Vice President at Department of Education, kungsaan nabunyag sa mga pagdinig ng House Quad Committee na ang naturang public funds ay nalustay lamang sa mga walang kabuluhang bagay.

Sinampahan si VP Sara ng mga kasong Bribery, Graft, Betrayal of Public Trust at ilang high crimes. (Vanz Fernandez)