Read the story below. It tells about Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales' appeal to Erap supporters to "just calmly accept the verdict" should Erap be found guilty. Rosales said that "Its about time we obeyed laws, and it is only proper that we have laws to follow". What crap!
Did Rosales' friends in high places followed the law when they ousted Erap from power? Did Rosales's lieutenant former EDSA shrine now Bataan bishop Villegas followed the law when he spirited Vidal Doble from his safe haven to Fort Aguinaldo at the height of the Hello Garci scandal? And did Rosales' own flock, the renewed Catholics who founded CFC followed the law when they turned Gawad Kalinga into a "cash cow"?
I miss former Manila Archbishop Cardinal Sin. The man from Iloilo is braver than Rosales. Rosales is GMA's version of the archbishop in Macoy's time. I think Rosales thinks himself as doing the nation a great service when he, unwittingly, is allowing himself to become the administration's tuta. Yes, Rosales is a tuta. Why? Because he's allowing himself to be a tool in GMA's pacification attempts.
Let the masses express themselves. It is more civilized for the people to protest than allow this travesty of justice. Being meek and humble are two admirable traits of the Filipino. However, Filipinos also have a heritage of fighting their enemies in the name of justice. Not allowing them to do so would deprive them of their own natures.
Archbishop, maybe you're becoming just like your friends in Malacanan. You also lived in a fantasy world where people are robots and slaves. You're acting like you're Padre Damaso of the new generation.
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Prelate to Erap fans: Accept verdict
AN ARCHBISHOP yesterday urged the followers of deposed President Joseph Estrada to accept the verdict in his plunder trial this month and to reject street protests if the decision goes against him.
“A law may be harsh but it is a law,” Manila Archbishop Gauden-cio Cardinal Rosales said, noting that the rule of law must prevail or there would be chaos. He added that laws punishing corruption must be respected.
Rosales said he believed those who handled the plunder investigation and those who prosecuted the case followed the proper procedures, and that Estrada had been given a fair trial.
Calling for calm, the archbishop said taking to the streets in protest would do no good.
“It’s about time we obeyed laws, and it is only proper that we have laws to follow,” he said.
In the Palace, chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol chided Estrada’s son, San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, for saying the deposed president would reject a pardon.
“Why is he saying that? Does he know that he would be found guilty?” Apostol said. “Maybe the right thing for us [to do] is to keep quiet and await the verdict of the Sandiganbayan.”
Apostol said Malacañang would not issue any statements about a presidential pardon, because doing so would be interpreted as interfering with the court.
A survey conducted from July 18 to 20 and commissioned by the opposition said about 48 percent of Filipinos preferred that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pardon Estrada immediately if the anti-graft court found him guilty of plunder.
Covering 600 respondents from Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, the survey by Social Weather Stations also showed that 38 percent wanted Estrada pardoned “after some time” and 13 percent rejected any grant of pardon.
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales declined to comment on the survey results, but said the government was ready to quell any trouble that might arise from a guilty verdict.
An administration lawmaker said the opposition-funded survey was aimed at influencing the anti-graft court.
“This clearly formed part of the opposition’s damage control effort to deflect the crippling effects of a guilty verdict against its leader,” Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco said.
He said the timing of the survey’s release—just before the verdict is issued—was suspect.
The Sandiganbayan is expected to release a verdict on or before Sept. 15. Arlie Calalo, Roy Pelovello, Romie A. Evangelista
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