Dilaab Foundation steward lukewarm to ‘people power’
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 11:50:00 02/21/2008
CEBU CITY, Philippines - A fresh call to stage “people power” to depose President Arroyo will not likely catch fire in Cebu based on the response of anti-corruption advocates.
Calling people to the streets is not the order of the day, said Fr. Carmelo Diola, coordinating steward of Dilaab Foundation, the anti-corruption group spearheading support for whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada and demands for the “truth” to surface.
“What is important now is to help in the groundwork of good governance. What we need to do is to help create an environment wherein good people can enter government and promote the common good.”
He said two previous People Power efforts failed to make substantial changes in the government.
Dilaab led a concelebrated Mass for the Search for the Truth last Monday in the Redemptorist Church in Cebu City attended by about 400 people but there were no calls for resignation of the President.
Meanwhile, members of the Jesus is Lord Church of Brother Eddie Villanueva supported the call of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), for another round of people power.
Bishop Dan Balais, JIL’s chairman of the intercessors for the Philippines, yesterday told Cebu Daily News that their church with 1.5 million members nationwide, is o joining calls of several sectors for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign amid allegations of corruption over the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.
Balais, who was in Cebu for a prayer gathering, said that it was time for Filipinos to unite again to denounce massive corruption in the government and call for the President to step down.
Balais said their church and other Christian groups are supporting the testimonies of Lozada.
Talks with other religious and civic society leaders are underway for a unified stand on spearheading mass movements calling for President Arroyo to resign, he added.
Militant groups like party-list groups Bayan Muna and Partido ng Manggawa are preparing a protest action next week.
The president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter, yesterday said that staging people power would no longer do good for the country.
Briccio Boholst said it would be prudent if Filipinos follow legal processes instead of stage a people power revolt.
“As a lawyer I won’t recommend that course of action. We should be bound by the process and submit to the rule of law. I don’t believe in the parliament of the streets,” he said.
Father Diola, in Monday’s Mass for the Search for Truth at the Redemptorist Church last Monday led a call for inner change and transformation of citizens.
He said “good people” in government should be supported.
“They should be given support so that their effort to promote the common good is sustained. But this would be difficult in an environment that is very toxic, negative and corrupt. If we change the head and what will happen?,” said Diola.
“People power is a continuing story with a call for new and fresh peaceful approaches impelled by faith, sensitive to conscience formation, informed by respectful consultations, emboldened by a united Christin network, motivated by heroic Christian citizenship.”
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