Wednesday, June 15, 2005

NR0616:Sins of the president

News Release
June 16, 2005
From the Office of Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran

Church groups, religious leaders should not give PGMA their support; 7 capital sins of the president unforgivable

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s attempts to woo church organizations and religious groups should not be met with enthusiasm by church leaders much less the faithful.

“President Arroyo has committed far too many sins and crimes against the Filipino people for her to be forgiven instantaneously. “At this juncture when she remains to be tight-lipped and mum on the burning issue of electoral fraud that’s been exposed because of the expose of her taped conversations, President Arroyo doesn’t deserve the support of the Church. She first has to admit to her sins before she can even ask for support or even just forgiveness,” he said.

Beltran said that President has committed her own version of seven capital sins: 1) Allowing the oil companies to incessantly increase oil prices; 2) Letting Meralco jack its already anomalous rates; 3) implementing a foreign policy with the United States that’s one-sided and anti-sovereignty; 4) unleashing a vicious military campaign of repression and liquidation of journalists, activists and human rights advocates; 5)conniving with employers to keep workers’ wages down; 6)passing a series of tax measures that will bury Filipinos deeper in poverty; 7) lusting after wealth and power to the extent of orchestrating massive electoral fraud in the May 2004 elections and letting her family run the jueteng network in the country.

“These are not sins that can be forgiven easily, and the punishment for such sins should neither be light nor negligible,” he said. “Our church and religious leaders should not give in to Pres. Arroyo’s pleas for support, much less enjoin the Filipino people to stop the protests against her. At this juncture, the Church should help lead Filipinos in the campaign to end corruption and push for crucial socio-economic reforms.”

The veteran labor leader turned legislator said that the longer Pres. Arroyo keeps her silence on the burning issue of the controversial tapes, the worse the repercussions will be on her and her administration. “She cannot remain silent on this. The Filipino people need and demand answers. If she cannot and will not answer charges and allegations against her credibility and legitimacy, more stringent actions should be taken to compel her to speak.”

He added that COMELEC commissioner Virgilio Garcillano should also be compelled to speak on pain of arrest and prosecution. “Electoral fraud, especially concerning the presidency, is a serious crime. Pres. Arroyo and Garcillano’s taped conversations are shocking to the say the least, and all steps should be taken to expose the matter fully. An illegitimate presidency is in power, and this can and will only lead to worse economic and political turmoil.”#

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