MANILA, Philippines ? Lawmakers, including presidential hopefuls, welcomed the plan of a movement initiated by Chief Justice Reynato Puno to help voters choose ?transformational leaders? in the elections next year.

But a member of the House said Puno must first resign and become a full-time politician if the Chief Justice wanted to be an ?agent of change? in a political exercise.

Another lawmaker said Puno did not need to give up his seat in the high court to spearhead the Moral Force Movement unless he runs for a political post.

Senators Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Roxas II and Francis Escudero all agreed on the need for the convening of the Moral Force Movement in light of the ?crucial? national elections in 2010.

But Lacson said the Moral Force Movement should not only help choose the right leaders but also ?take the lead in educating the electorate to sidetrack personalities and shallow campaigning to win votes.?

?Issues and advocacies must be the main consideration during this critical time in our country?s history and the moral force must bear the burden of responsibility to inform our people that we cannot afford another six years of transactional politics that breeds corruption,? Lacson said in a text message.

Poor vulnerable

He was particularly concerned about the ?D and E social classes,? which he said accounted for a big majority of the electorate but were the ?most vulnerable to exploitation by scheming politicians.?

Legarda praised the eight members of the movement?s core group, saying they were ?well respected and accomplished individuals whose integrity and patriotism are unquestioned.?

In a statement, she said it was necessary that ?civic-spirited, intelligent and esteemed individuals guide our people in the selection of officials who should be elected in the 2010 elections.?

The Moral Force Movement seeks to endorse ?transformational leaders? in the elections who would sacrifice their self interest for the good of the many unlike ?transactional leaders? motivated by selfish goals.

?With our people desperately looking for a way out of their misery and poverty, we cannot afford to make a wrong turn as this could mean more social disorder and chaos from which there could be no turning back,? Legarda also said.

Escudero said Puno?s group and ?other similarly oriented groups? were welcome so as to ?guide and enlighten our voters in the coming elections.?

Withstand pressure

Roxas expressed the hope that the movement would be ?strong enough to resist and withstand partisan pressure? in order ?to reform our political system and fix it permanently.

He said he and the Liberal Party of which he is the president, was ready to ?openly engage? the group ?in the moral dimension of our politics as well as in the overall social, economic and political agenda for the future.?

Roxas was earlier invited by the Kaya Natin! group to join non-traditional politicians in choosing possible presidential candidates for 2010.

Senator Manuel Villar Jr. said it was the right of ?every Filipino or any group to present their thoughts on how the government should be run.?

?A moral and just government is something that is expected by the Filipino citizenry,? Villar said. ?It is the people who will eventually decide who they think will deliver the same.?

Balancing act

In the House of Representatives, members are divided on whether Puno should resign before leading the Moral Force Movement.

Muntinlupa Representative Rufino Biazon said that if Puno wanted to be an agent of change in a political exercise, he should first resign.

?The Chief Justice?s involvement with the moral recovery group is a delicate balancing act between being a social conscience and a political player. There is a fine line between the two.?

?While it is true that Philippine society needs moral recovery, there is also no denying that much of it is political reform and one must join the political fray to be an agent of change in that field. Being the Chief Justice he must have a conscious effort not to be dragged into politics,? said Biazon in a text message.

Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo said that Puno would not need to give up his seat in the high court to spearhead the Moral Force Movement.

?Puno?s moral force drive is intervention in politics that must be welcomed not discouraged for as long as the Chief Justice doesn?t join the political presidential derby, which could add a partisan aspect to the drive,? said Ocampo in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

Not new

He noted that the Moral Force Movement was not new in Philippine politics.

Ocampo said former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani had tried it years ago ?with little, if any gain,? while the Catholic Bishops? Conference of the Philippines had taken on the subject ?with little success.?

But Ocampo was confident that Puno could succeed where others have failed with his ?untarnished record of integrity.?

Quezon City Representative Matias Defensor said the Moral Force Movement could gain more weight by working for judicial reforms and not just political reform.

Defensor, chairman of the committee on justice, said he saw nothing wrong with the country?s top magistrate playing a role in helping people decide who to choose in the May 2010 polls.

?That?s within the effort of the judiciary to really see to it that everything is in order,? Defensor said in a phone interview.

Own backyard first

Valenzuela Representative Magtanggol Gunigundo said the Moral Force Movement should address corruption wherever it may be found, including in the judiciary, so that it would not be misconstrued as being used for politicking.

?In order to avoid suspicion of politicking, the moral force should first aim at judicial reforms to ensure speedy and inexpensive delivery of justice, preserve and protect the court?s independence, and purge misfits in robes,? Gunigundo told the Inquirer.

Zambales Representative Ma. Milagros Magsaysay also called on the Chief Justice to clean his own backyard first even as she agreed on the need for a moral force movement.

?We all have to start somewhere. We can all make motherhood statements but putting words into action is another thing. People are tired of lip service. They want results,? Magsaysay said in a text message.

Malacañang promised to cooperate with the Moral Force Movement, saying its goals were similar to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s.

?It?s nice there are people equally conscious of the need for a moral force because government is definitely for it,? Ermita said at a press briefing.