TanDem's Statement on Corona Impeachment

Tanggulang Demokrasya

There's been a growing number of organizations voicing out their opposition against the railroaded impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. Among these organizations is Tanggulang Demokrasya or TanDem.

TanDem is a network of different people's organizations and Netizens. It has been on the forefront of unearthing the cheating and manipulations done in the country's first automated election system.

TanDem recently raised valid concerns like the obliteration of the rule of law and the undermining of our democratic institutions.

Below is Tanggulang Demokrasya's statement.

Defend the Supreme Court, the Last Bulwark of Democracy

We stand for the equal rule of law.

We oppose the arbitrary rule of one man.

We stand for the separation of the political and non-political branches of government.

We oppose the dictatorial control of all branches of government.

We stand for democracy that respects the power of the people.

We oppose the oligarchy that vests power in the self-chosen “elite” few.

We are Tanggulang Demokrasya (Tan Dem), adherents of democracy and citizens of the Republic.

We condemn the emerging trend of administration-backed attacks against the social institutions that hold our country and democracy together.

We condemn the baseless attack against the Church under the slogan “Pajero Bishops.” As we now know, no Pajero whatsoever was involved but only 4x4 off road vehicles utilized to deliver goods and services to the poor. But for this incumbent administration the truth was not important. Its main intent was to humiliate and discredit the Church.

We condemn the baseless attack against the military under the slogan “pabaon Generals.” As we now know, the anomaly has long been investigated and the guilty parties prosecuted. But again for this incumbent administration the truth was not important. Its main intent was to humiliate and discredit the military.

Now we condemn the blitzkrieg impeachment of Chief Justice Corona, coming so quickly after the Supreme Court decision declaring Hacienda Luisita subject to agrarian land reform.

The sad truth is that if you side with the farmers, the presently dominant mass media will portray you as a demon. If however you side with the hacienderos, the same media will portray you as a saint.

As adherents of democracy and citizens of the Republic, we say that neither President Noynoy Aquino nor his 188 Congresspersons are entitled to throw the first stone. They must first come clean of the plunder and human rights cases involving their “kamag-anak”, “kapamilya” and “kabarkada.” Otherwise they would not have the moral right to present themselves as good and to point to others as evil.

We call on the people of our beloved country to rise up and resist the looming dictatorship of the oligarchy of hacienderos.

We call on the people to defend and come to the aid of the besieged Supreme Court, the last bulwark of our democracy.