MANILA, Philippines--The Philippines? former ambassador to the Vatican, Henrietta de Villa, and Msgr. Gerardo Santos said they would not have joined Chief Justice Reynato Puno?s ?Moral Force Movement? had it involved partisan politics.

In separate interviews over the Church-run Radio Veritas, De Villa and Santos said the chief justice had assured the eight-person core group that he was not interested in running for President.

?This is not a political group. This is a movement of individuals with the same goal... to fight corruption,? said De Villa, who chairs the election watchdogs Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).

Santos, president of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), said the movement was a concerned citizens? group headed by a government official, who happened to be the chief justice.

De Villa and Santos said they accepted Puno?s invitation to join the core group because they believed in its crusade to fight corruption.

?I didn?t realize there are many groups out there who advocate the country?s renewal to end the culture of corruption in the country,? De Villa said.

De Villa and Santos said that at their first meeting, the core group asked Puno whether he would run for president next year.

De Villa said members of the group told Puno that they did not want to take part in any partisan activity.

?We would not join if there was partisan (activity) involved. That?s not on the agenda and the chief justice had categorically said that he had no plans to run or join politics,? she said.

Besides De Villa and Santos, the members of the Moral Force Movement are Marixi Prieto (chair of the Philippine Daily Inquirer), Methodist Bishop Emerito Nacpil, retired Brig. Gen. Jaime Echeverria (president of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers), former Finance Undersecretary Milwida Guevarra, Far Eastern University law dean Andres Bautista, and Noorain Sabdulla (a Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines 2008 awardee).

?In our first meeting he categorically said he had no plans to enter politics. But he wanted to emphasize morality in politics in our country, or what we call formation of our social concern, among all Filipinos,? Santos said.

De Villa said that she and the others were just ?founding members? and that they welcomed like-minded advocates of political renewal. But she said the group was not inviting anyone who has plans to run for office.

?We encourage them in their own advocacy but if you?re a candidate you can?t be a member, because then we would be self-serving because we have a self-interest,? she said.

The PPCRV head added that the group did not want to limit its advocacy against corruption to group discussions, seminars and writing books about it.

?We have agreed that we must have something concrete so that the people can see that this Moral Force (Movement) would have an impact. And the first measurable activity that we can do is the elections,? she said.

De Villa said the eight people invited by Puno were focused on looking for transformational leadership.

?We are hoping that in the coming elections we can educate the people. We?re always choosing among the ?lesser evil? (candidates) but why should we be content with that?? she said.

Santos said the group?s objective of looking for ?transformational leaders? to make the 2010 elections meaningful was shared by the Catholic Church leadership.

?That fits into the direction of the Catholic Church, especially the Archbishop of Manila (Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales) that it is treason for a leader not to have a vision,? Santos said.

He said he was humbled and honored by the invitation.

Santos said the movement was not just about eight people. ?There are many like-minded groups. This is a movement for good governance,? he said.

Santos said the group could bring about moral renewal through the elections by encouraging the ?youth voters,? estimated at 11 million to 12 million, not to give up on the electoral exercise.

He said the movement could guide and monitor those who would run and win in the elections to lead ethical lifestyles and deliver on their electoral promises.

?If we have attained these two, we can say we are on the road to a moral renewal,? Santos said.