Arrest Arroyo on graft charges, lobby demands

Source: www.ucanews.com

http://www.ucanews.com/2010/05/26/christian-leaders-call-for-arroyo%E2%80%99s-prosecution/

Father Jose Dizon (right) listening to Ernesto Pernia, professor at the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics

Christian leaders working for social justice want the next Philippine president to arrest and prosecute President Gloria Arroyo.

Arroyo has previously shaken off charges of election fraud and graft in government contracts.

“We are asking the new president to tell the Ombudsman to file the cases that we have already prepared for impeachment complaints and left with the Ombudsman since 2005,” said Father Jose Dizon of Imus.

The member of the ecumenical group, Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), said, “We want her to be arrested and if the proof of the cases that are already prepared are sufficient, then she should be put in jail.”

Arroyo loses her immunity from prosecution when she steps down as president on June 30.

“We feel it is important to prosecute her because we Filipinos need to learn a lesson,” Father Dizon said, citing the failure of cases against ex-presidents Joseph Estrada and Ferdinand Marcos and his relatives and cronies.

PCPR is an ecumenical national organization of Church people dedicated to the promotion and defense of justice, peace and human rights.

The group is also challenging the country’s next leaders to be true to their promises, work to “uplift the lives and welfare of the people, and give their share for the triumph of justice and peace in our country.”

PCPR secretary general Nardy Sabino quoted a Catholic Bishops of the Philippines’ new report which said that prosecuting Arroyo and her allies “will draw the line between those who are truly serious towards major reforms and those who are not.”

“Long standing issues of genuine land reform, just wages, human rights, unjust taxation, high prices of basic commodities, graft and corruption, and independent foreign policies are the urgent national concerns that must be addressed by the coming administration,” Sabino said.

Arroyo won as congresswoman of Pampanga province’s second district during the recent elections.