Former senator Rene Saguisag (center, in red), San Beda professor Carlo Cruz (2nd from right) and Rodolfo Zabella Jr. (left) sit at the p...
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| Former senator Rene Saguisag (center, in red), San Beda professor Carlo Cruz (2nd from right) and Rodolfo Zabella Jr. (left) sit at the presidential table while retired Regional Trial Court Judge Romeo Villanueva (at podium) acts as emcee during the annual general membership meeting of the Integrated Bar of the Phils. – Quezon chapter held at Queen Margarette Hotel in Bgy. Domoit, Lucena city. (JOHN BELLO) |
by John A. Bello
LUCENA CITY - On the 32nd anniversary of the 1986 Edsa people power revolution which ousted Marcos from power a former senator and human rights lawyer and a university professor delivered a double whammy against moves to change the constitution and adopt federalism as form of government by Pres. Duterte and his minions in Congress as the Integrated Bar of the Phils.- Quezon chapter also rejected any plan of Charter change (Cha-cha) during its annual general membership meeting held at the Royal Palace Hall, Queen Margarette Hotel in Bgy. Domoit on Saturday (Feb. 24). Former Sen. Rene Saguisag was the guest of honor and speaker while San Beda University professor Carlo Cruz was the resource speaker of the event of the more than 500-strong IBP-Quezon led by its president, Rodolfo Zabella Jr. to tackle 2 hot issues being pushed by Duterte administration: charter change and federalism.
Saguisag, a human rights lawyer from 1972 to 1986, dwelled mostly on the events of the 4-day people power revolution while taking potshots against Duterte, his war on drugs, the present congress, the imperfection of the constitution and his reliance on the young to shape the nation better than when he found it.
“No constitution is perfect and whether any charter change to be done is through Constituent Assembly or Constitutional Convention, as long as the House of Congress led by Speaker Alvarez is an echo chamber of Pres. Duterte there will be no real change at all,” the 78 yrs. old senator who hailed from Mauban town in Quezon province, told the participants of practicing lawyers, judges, prosecutors and law students along with politicians such as Tayabas vice mayor Nick Abesamis, Lucena city councilors Sunshine Abcede and Vic Paolo, former Tayabas mayor Wilfredo Sumilang and former Lucban mayor Serafin Dator.
Touching at one point on the issue of Duterte’s war on drugs, particularly his alleged policy on extra-judicial killings where only thousands of suspected petty drug addicts have fallen by the wayside, Saguisag said that no anti-drug policy alone succeeded and whether in Columbia, Thailand or in the United States, it has been a failure.
“This administration does not care at all for due process of law and has no respect for human dignity so it is run just like a Mafia, but I am hoping Digong can still change as everyone of us has defects,” Saguisag said who ended his speech about an often told story of a young boy holding a bird at his back who asks an old man if the bird is alive or dead. The old man supposedly answered that it is up to the young boy whether the bird is alive or dead.
“It’s up really to the young to make this country in a better shape than when I have found it,” he said describing his speech as a ‘sentimental journey home’.
For his part, Cruz minced no words lambasting Duterte saying the latter has not offered anything with clarity about Cha-Cha or federalism and that the consultative commission mandated to study the process of cha-cha disregards the constitution as its establishment was only promulgated thru an executive order and not through congress.
“This matter about charter change is purely for personal ambition and political expediency for those in the present administration and this push for federalism will not unite the country but will strengthen political dynasty in several provinces out of which regional states are supposed to be created,” said Cruz, son of former Supreme Count justice Isagani Cruz, adding that the present constitution must be respected as it should “grow with society it seeks to strengthen”.
During the open forum spearheaded by Zabella, lawyer Cris Buela asked if the country is suited for federalism and Cruz answered him that it will only ‘constitutionalize political dynasty and create little kingdoms in several created states and a charter change with it “is utter and absolute garbage.”
When Zabella asked participants to raise their hands if they want Cha-Cha, nobody did. Ambushed by the media for interview, and asked specifically about the IBP- Quezon stand, Zabella said that more than 500 members of their chapter still have to pass a resolution for it next month but their board of officers last January have already voted against it.
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