Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile
MANILA, Philippines — After questioning the “logic implicit” in the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) peace rally in a Jan. 13 post, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile again took to Facebook to say that the gathering was “more like a political pressure” to stop an independent and separate government body from doing its constitutional duty.
In a post on Sunday to address the “so many people, especially members of the INC [who] were so riled and angry at me,” the 100-year-old Enrile stressed that he was not against the religious sect, and everyone, “religious or not,” was free to gather peacefully and ask the government to address their grievances.
“There is no question that the INC peace rally was a peaceful assembly. But were there ‘grievances’ to be redressed? Pardon me for my impression—to me, there was none,” he added.
READ: Enrile questions INC ‘logic’ vs VP Sara Duterte impeach raps
“To me, although it was [well-intentioned], the peace rally was more like a political pressure to hinder a separate and independent department of the government to perform a constitutional duty. This was evident from the speeches delivered in that rally,” Enrile said.
According to him, the President, as the head of the executive branch, “has the power and duty to coordinate with the two other branches of our government to achieve and maintain a unity and harmony in the efficient operation of the government in our society.”
“No one can do that officially except him,” Enrile said.
Second post
He later followed up his post with a more cryptic one that was not addressed to anyone. Without mentioning what he was referring to, the President’s chief legal counsel said he was done talking about the matter.
“This will be my last comment on the issue we are discussing. You have your own truth. I have my own. Neither you or I have a monopoly of the truth. So be it. Let the voters decide who is right and who is wrong,” Enrile said.
He also expressed readiness to debate in public those who made personal attacks and raised issues against him—“the faults, the blames, the defects and wrongdoings you attributed to me, as well as the ad hominem you threw against me.”
The Jan. 13 rally held by the INC at Quirino Grandstand and in other areas nationwide was attended by around 1.8 million people. It was aimed at showing the group’s opposition to moves in the House of Representatives to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
Insight, timing
She is facing three impeachment complaints, which accuse her of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, bribery and other high crimes.
Three days after the INC peace rally, Enrile said on Facebook that the logic behind the INC rally posed a “bigger question.”
“Can the INC, with all its members, amend the 1987 Constitution or suspend any of its provisions? Are we prepared to discard or sacrifice the value of rule of law for a person or a group of persons?” he asked.
On Saturday, Marcos said he agreed with Enrile that the country would face a “very detrimental precedent” if the rule of law would not be followed in the impeachment complaints against Duterte.
However, the President said the timing of the move was “very poor,” considering that the House and Senate were set to take a break from Feb. 8 to June 1 while lawmakers running in the May elections were already busy preparing for their campaigns.