Groups ask Arroyo: Why is gov’t tough vs rebels but weak vs graft?

Leaders of various Christian churches asked the Arroyo administration to pursue common good and true righteousness following the November 29 Manila Peninsula standoff in Makati headed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. "The Filipino people have suffered long enough. Senator Trillanes and Brigadier Gen. Danny Lim merely delivered what the nation has been clamoring for, such as truth, righteousness and justice," the joint statement of the Bangon Pilipinas National Renewal Movement and the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM) said. Though admitting that they do not completely agree with the way by which Trillanes and his group delivered the message, it is high time that the government answer the unresolved charges hounding the administration. "Why is the government so strong against the rebels but so weak in fighting against clear and blatant evils such as corruption, unabated killings of journalists and political leaders, and the grinding poverty in our society?" the group said. Eddie Villanueva, PJM National chairman and founder of Jesus is Lord Movement, said that until all charges of corruption especially against high ranking government leaders and people close to Malacañang are allowed to be investigated and resolved, more protests even in the seeming mutinies by government forces will really happen. Likewise, he warned of eventual civil uprising if serious allegations of corruption, fraud and the growing poverty continued to be ignored. "Incidents like the Manila Pen takeover will not stop until the doubt and charges that hang above Mrs Arroyo's election and her governance are resolved, until all the issues charged against her government have been properly addressed, until the growing poverty and economic inequity continue to go unabated," said Villanueva, who is also president of Bangon Pilipinas. PJM National Director Bishop Dan Balais for his part, noted that the Manila Pen incident should serve as warning to the government to take serious reforms and answer the numerous corruption charges. "May the government take the Manila Pen incident as a serious warning. We admonish our leaders to truly seek God's face, lead the nation in humbling ourselves before the Lord and in repenting from our sins. Without true repentance, there can never be any healing," Balais said. Bishop Balais also called on the Filipinos to be vigilant, especially in prayers. Bangon Pilipinas is a movement that seeks moral renewal in the country's political system while PJM is the umbrella organization of over 4,000 born-again churches with over 7-million members nationwide. - GMANews.TV