[asia-apec 1707] An appeal for support to help save the democracy in the Philippines

[viktor at skyinet.net]

Friends;

We enjoin you to support the appeal of the Filipino people to help save
the democracy in the country by endorsing the statement of solidarity
below and forwarding the same to your friends and colleagues.

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
www.iidnet.org

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WE  STAND  BEHIND  THE  FILIPINO  PEOPLE
A Statement of  Solidarity


WE,  peoples from all over the world working for freedom and
democracy,   express our  deepest concern over the political  crisis
that the Philippines is currently undergoing and wish to present this
statement  showing our solidarity with the Filipino people.

Aware that  the present  political crisis  stemmed from the filing of
formal charges of  impeachment  against  Philippine President Joseph
Estrada  for bribery, graft and  corrupt practices, betrayal of  trust
and culpable violation of the  Constitution.

Aware that  the charges led to the formation of an impeachment court,
formed from members of  the Philippine Congress  and presided over by
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,  which started  public hearings
in December.

Aware that the impeachment trial  stopped  last January 16 after the
Philippine Senate impeachment court voted 11-10 against opening sealed
bank documents that public prosecutors said  would provide damaging
evidence that Estrada  acquired ill-gotten wealth through bribes and
kickbacks after only 18 months in office.

Disappointed that the controversial vote resulted in the immediate
resigning of the Philippine Senate President and subsequently that of
the  11  prosecutors from the Lower House,  thus grounding to a halt
the first  ever impeachment trial in the country.

Acknowledging that  while the trial was in progress, the Philippine
public gave the impeachment process the benefit of the doubt, but that
now,  public trust has eroded in the constitutional process to make
their  President  accountable for his actions.

Mindful  that  public indignation  over  the vote has been swift and
spontaneous and has  transformed into  the so-called "Peoples  Power
Part  2"  to  oust  the Estrada  administration.

Mindful of the stand of  the democratic opposition, business groups and
the Philippine  churches  that Estrada  has lost the moral ascendancy to
govern the  country, we  are concerned  that the Philippines is  now in
deep political crisis, with  its leadership already in question and its
institutions  slowly being  paralyzed.

We also view with deep concern  that  that the Philippines  is in
serious financial trouble, with the Philippine peso and the stock market
continuing to fall.

We therefore issue with  urgency and deep concern the following calls:

-For the Philippine President to heed the call for him to step down
immediately because he has lost  moral authority  and public trust;
-For the Philippine Armed Forces  to desist from seizing power through
unconstitutional means;
-For   the Philippine government  to institute constitutional processes
in an orderly  takeover  by  a  new administration;
-For  the two opposing camps to desist from violence which will plunge
the Philippines into chaos and  anarchy;
-For international  groups to support  the  Philippine movement  for
freedom and democracy.

Signed:  19 January  2001