Philippines: Anti-Arroyo G\groups end year with inter-faith assembly, ow to figh charter change, term extensions

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PUBLISHED ON December 15, 2007 AT 7:59 AM

Religious leaders, faith-based organizations and cause-oriented groups gathered today along Baywalk, Roxas Boulevard for an Interfaith Prayer Assembly with the call of “rejecting a morally bankrupt Arroyo government.”

The interfaith activity was endorsed by respected religious leaders including Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Bishop Teodoro Bacani, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, Bishop Dan Balais of the Philippines for Jesus Movement, Bro. Armin Luistro, Fr. Joe Dizon and Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz Duremdez of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines.

Participating groups include the Concerned Citizens Group, the United Opposition, the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), the Oust Gloria Coalition, the Black and White Movement, Solidarity Philippines and the Kubol ng Pag-asa.

The assembly staunchly opposed any plans of Charter change and term extensions under the Arroyo regime. The groups also denounced the rampant corruption that has been the hallmark of the current administration. The activity comes two days after a Pulse Asia survey cited President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the most corrupt president since 1965, beating even the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
The Interfaith Prayer Assembly for the Nation is the second activity of an emerging partnership between Catholic Bishops-Religious Leaders and Citizens Groups. The working relations started with discussions about the current national situation participated in by the various religious leaders and concerned citizens groups last November.
The organizers of the event released its first statement last November 28 calling for the “rejection of a morally bankrupt government.” Signatories to the statement also came together last November 30 to mark Bonifacio Day and trumpet the rejection call. Thousands joined the mass action at the Liwasang Bonifacio.
A second statement was released last December 13 which saw the Manila Peninsula incident as the result of “still unresolved issues of legitimacy, corruption, human rights abuses and unprecedented abuse of power under the guise of upholding the rule of law.”
The groups warned that “unless the above issues are satisfactorily addressed, we can expect the same turbulence, desperation and frustration to mark the remaining years of this administration.”
The interfaith assembly organizers said they were hoping for a broad attendance from various groups. “The activity calls on the people to intensify the fight for the decisive resolution of the outstanding issues against the Arroyo administration and for the advancement of meaningful reforms,” the organizers said.

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