Puno’s ‘moral force’ excludes political bets

Religious group leaders Mike Velarde of El Shaddai and Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord Movement cannot join the moral force initiated by Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno if they run for public office in 2010.

“Those who will be involved in the coming elections will not be part of the group. This is a social movement not a political movement,” Puno said.

Puno disclosed the holding of mini-summit of various groups to strengthen the movement. “We need to achieve our immediate objective at the fastest possible time.

“The highest priority we are looking at is, everybody agreed that the holding of fair, free and honest elections. We expect the moral force movement to focus on this issue, but we will also tackle other issues,” he added.

Puno’s announcement of the formation of the Moral Force Movement received the support of several known personalities who have since become the movement’s “core members.”

These include Ambassador Henrietta de Villa, the current chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and chairman of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel); Marixi Prieto, chairman of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and a trustee of the Metrobank Foundation; and Msgr. Gerardo Santos, president of the Catholic Educational Associate of the Philippines (CEAP).

The other members of the group are Dr. Emerito Nacpil, retired bishop of the United Methodist Church of the Philippines; retired Brig. Gen. Jaime Echeverria, president and chairman of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (Agfo); former Finance undersecretary Milwida Guevara, Far Eastern University Institute of Law dean Andres Bautista, and Noorain Sabdulla, a Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) awardee.

The core group has agreed to address the problem of “moral decadence” by undertaking various activities that would encourage various sectors and groups to form their own “moral force.”

They also agreed to focus on defining and electing transformational leaders in the coming 2010 elections, not just on the national level but also on the barangay level as well. A “transformational leader” is one who inspires, develops and empowers his followers.

“The group will continue to meet as it hopes to unite all like-minded reform groups for the search of such transformational leaders who will lead us even beyond the forthcoming elections,” according to Puno’s spokesman Jose Midas Marquez.

The formal launching of the movement is set for May.–Rey E. Requejo, Manila Standard Today