PHILIPPINES: PIMENTEL SAYS HE DOESN’T MIND IF POLITICIANS ARE SIDELINED IN RALLIES

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said he doesn’t mind if
politicians are relegated to the background during
protests rallies against the Arroyo presidency as
workers, students and other people who used to be
among the silent majority are now more willing to go
out to the streets to express their outrage over the
excesses of the administration.

Pimentel said the disenchantment over the sad state of
affairs in the country is driving the ordinary
citizens to join street marches and protests, inspired
by the call for change and action by the Catholic
bishops, priests, nuns and other influential leaders
of the community.

“In fact, it is my suggestion that we politicians
should lay off from visible participation in protest
rallies because the people seem to be turned off by
our presence,” he said.

He said it may be better for politicians to leave to
the bishops, Bro. Eddie Villanueva (of Jesus is Lord
Movement) and Bro. Mike Velarde (of El Shadai
charismatic group) the task of mounting massive
demonstrations so as not to inject partisan politics
into these activities.

“The more we keep ourselves out of sight in
mobilization and demonstrations, I think, would be for
the better,” Pimentel said.

“Perhaps, we should stay away from these
demonstrations because, otherwise the impression is
that we may be manipulating the process to our
advantage,” Pimentel said.

He said the “critical mass” would be there to compel
President Arroyo to heed the calls for her resignation
on Feb. 29 when Bro. Eddie and Bro. Mike are expected
to join forces with the Catholic bishops and heads of
other religious groups in mobilizing their members for
a massive prayer rally in Rizal Park.

“That may yet be the tipping point as regards the
political fate of Mrs. Arroyo. And perhaps that is why
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo is already paving the way
for change by going to Hong Kong,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said that through people power “we have shown
to the world that we are capable of changing our
government without bloodshed.”

He reacted to the frustration expressed by Archbishop
of Jaro Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines, that the
president of the republic installed through the EDSA-2
People Power, turned out to be “the most corrupt.”

“It is not the fault of the people power that the
leaders who benefited from people power turned out to
be worse than the ones they had replaced,” Pimentel
said.
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