Liberal Party spokesman Rep. Evardone used to
be one of Mrs. Arroyo's most loyal defenders and used to insist that Mrs.
Arroyo was on the right side of the law each time her regime abused its power.
He now speaks of "letting the legal
process prevail” and “respect for the rule of law” in the suspension of
Governor Gwen Garcia, UNA’s provincial chair for Cebu
and congressional candidate. These words sound very familiar. These are the
same words used by Rep. Evardone and other former Arroyo defenders to justify
the harassment of the opposition led by Vice President Binay in 2006 and 2007.
Like other Arroyo defenders who shifted
loyalties en masse to the ruling party, the LP spokesman is recycling the same
excuses meant to justify political harassment. Harassment is harassment. You
cannot invoke “respect for the rule of law” and “daang matuwid” to justify a
patently illegal act and the abuse of power. Those who are now invoking the
rule of law and the righteous path should first examine their tainted political
and moral backgrounds to avoid embarrassing themselves and their new masters.
Nothing can justify abuse of power, especially
not the recycled statements from defenders of the discredited former regime. No
matter what the LP and its apologists say, the people of Cebu
know that Martial law has been imposed in their province.
For UNA, respect for the rule of law also
means extending courtesy to a co-equal branch of government. Since a case has
already been filed before the Court of Appeals, the administration party should
allow the courts to decide.
The LP claims that party members are treated
in the same manner as Governor Garcia. We want to remind the LP that in the
case of Caloocan Mayor Recom Echeverri, an LP member, his suspension was not
effectively served and his followers were allowed to camp out in front of City
Hall with the least intervention from the police. We did not hear the LP or the
administration asking him to follow the suspension order while waiting for the
Court of Appeals to decide.
In the case of Governor Garcia, there are
glaring violations of the law and clear abuse of power. The LP-affiliated Vice
Governor closed down two media outlets on flimsy grounds. The police erected
barricades and deployed armalite-wielding policemen to the capitol. Supporters
of the Governor and even employees were prevented from entering the grounds.
The leaders of UNA visited Governor Garcia to
show their support for a beleaguered member and to make sure that the
authorities respect the law. This is hardly a controversial move. It cannot be
compared to DILG Secretary Mar Roxas attempting to influence the Sandiganbayan
when he accompanied his party mate Grace Padaca when she posted bail for a graft
case.
The LP gubernatorial candidate for Cebu has
also said that the people of Cebu will render
the ultimate judgment in the 2013 elections. This is precisely our point and
this is what makes the suspension order nothing more than a power grab by the LP,
a desperate and blatant attempt to overturn the decision of the people of Cebu in the 2010 elections. #
