PLM Statement on the Supreme Court's TRO

PLM STATEMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT’S TRO

The Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) condemns the Supreme Court’s decision to grant a temporary restraining order on the watch list and hold-departure orders of the Department of Justice against the Arroyos. The haste with which the Supreme Court ordered the TRO appears to be a move in collusion with the Arroyos and not in accordance with the people’s right to be served justice.

We also deplore the Supreme Court’s decision which suggested that ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be given the right to travel just like any ordinary citizen. We ask the Court, did the ordinary citizens sabotage elections, plunder the economy, and abuse authority? The Supreme Court should not use our names to argue for the right of saboteurs, liars, plunderers and abusers.

By its action, the Supreme Court has proven once again that is a heavily factionalized and “politicized” (i.e, trapo-controlled) body. This is a result of Arroyo’s appointees still lording it over the courts in the land. This is a problem with a Supreme Court beholden to those who have appointed them in powers.

We also lamented the fact that the Aquino government, up to now, has failed to file any criminal and administrative charges against the Arroyos so they will be barred from leaving the country. Because of this failure, the people continue to suffer the consequences of the factional infighting of the Arroyo and Aquino camps within the Supreme Court and the government’s gross incompetence in providing justice for the people.

We hold the Supreme Court and the Aquino government both responsible for the failure to prosecute the Arroyos. The Arroyos have attempted to flee the country last night; they will try to do it again and again, until the Aquino government has put its act together and dealt with the Arroyos firmly.

Specifically, we ask the Supreme Court justices to resign, not only with regard to this latest mess, but with previous decisions that favor only a few people seen to be their benefactors, such as the flip-flopping decision on the Fasap issue favoring the capitalist taipan Lucio Tan.

We ask the Aquino government to continue the hold-order against the Arroyos, file the long-overdue criminal and administrative charges, and haul them off to jail.

Sonny Melencio

Chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

November 16, 2011