JDV launches ‘moral revolution’ with Forbes Park dinner
By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:41:00 02/18/2008
Filed Under: Graft & Corruption, Governance, civil society, Politics
MANILA -- Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia launched a Council for Moral Revolution Sunday night at his home in Forbes Park with Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., some lawmakers and leaders of various religious denominations in attendance.
Elected the council's interim chairman was Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who, however, did not attend the event.
Even as the council members described their group as apolitical, their first order of business was to call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to address charges of corruption against her administration.
"Our first concrete step is to call on the President to make a positive move to address the corruption. That's the consensus,'' Bishop Reuben Abante of the Baptists of the Philippines said in an interview. "We're not calling [on] her to step down, but to take the lead and make concrete steps. These should be credible.''
De Venecia said the matter of whether the council will join calls for the President's resignation will be put before all council officials at their next meeting.
"That question was raised but I have to present that to the entire board of trustees. It's like, it's going in that direction, but I can't say it for sure until we clear it with leaders,'' he told reporters.
De Venecia was ousted by a majority of lawmakers two weeks ago ostensibly over his alleged mismanagement of the House of Representatives, but the Pangasinan representative said he believed his removal was an offshoot of his son's exposes on the alleged corruption surrounding the national broadband network deal.
At De Venecia’s dinner were Bishop Leo Alconga of the Jesus Is Lord, Bishop Efren Reyes of the Independent Bishops of the Philippines, Bro. Bobby Rebullida and Joe Tan Ramirez, both of the National Businessmen's Prayer Breakfast Fellowship, and Dr. Michael Zablan of the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace;
Lino Lebron, representing Ricardo Cardinal Vidal; former representative Willie Villarama, representing El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde, Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar, Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante, also of the Baptists of the Philippines, Raul Lambino, De Venecia's wife Gina and son Jose de Venecia III.
Most of them will comprise the council’s board of trustees of the council, which will serve as an advisory body and try to gather broad sectoral support for their campaign.
De Venecia said he decided to launch the council at this time in view of Arroyo’s inaction on his call for her to lead the moral revolution.
"I'm deeply disappointed,'' he said, adding he believed his call for moral revolution was among the reasons Arroyo "moved for my removal.''
Villar said he was supporting the movement, but would keep a low profile because of his job as Senate President, although he added he would be contributing to the council’s work each time the Senate conducts inquiries.
"This is a good cause. I believe that the country needs this kind of revolution to effect changes,'' he told reporters, adding that the council should not be tied to the "anti-Gloria'' movement.”Everyone sees the need for a moral revolution.''
Alconga said they found De Venecia sincere in his campaign "as he said he won't be leading it; he will just serve as a catalyst.''
De Venecia, who will serve as the council's interim secretary general, said his campaign is patterned after the moral revolution advocated by Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
"What we're looking for is a nationwide cleansing. There's too much corruption. Everything is for sale. There's corruption in Congress, corruption in the Senate, corruption in Malacañang, corruption in Cabinet....'' he said. "This is the last chance to save the country.''
He acknowledged the council has to yet to draw up a concrete course of action on how to achieve its goal.
De Venecia said the council will work with all sectors of society, including government, and mobilize them to speak in any forum on the ways to curb official corruption.
"We will create vigilant groups, show popular indignation to go after corrupt elements, and we will work with anti-corruption units already existing,'' he said.
But he acknowledged the change might not be swift.
"We should be able to make achievements in increments. We can't change overnight,'' he said.
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