A Statement of the University Council of the University of the Philippines Diliman
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has no basis to continue in office.
On 13 July 2005, at the height of the Garci Scandal, the University Council (UC) of the University of the Philippines Diliman — called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign immediately. She did not resign.
The UC observed that all her acts are “a direct assault on nearly all the values we hold sacred in the academe.”
Since then, there has been an unprecedented number of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances — which includes two U.P. students, Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.
Corruption in the highest places continues unabated and remains unaddressed. Institutions which were created by the Constitution or the law to safeguard accountability have either been ineffective or rendered ineffective.
Official government response to requests for information on matters of public concern has been to thwart the truth either by the invocation of Executive Privilege or by threats issued to the working media. The exercise of basic freedoms has been met with repressive measures such the Calibrated Pre-emptive Response (CPR) and Presidential Proclamation 1017. This criminal regime resorts to kidnapping and massive bribery to prevent the truth from coming out.
Despite GMA’s insistence that she does not tolerate corruption, she has been forced by public pressure to admit that she knew about the kickbacks long before the Senate investigations on the NBN-ZTE deal. As a result, she has entrapped herself in a web of lies.
When GMA is caught lying, she either stonewalls or orders an investigation which churns out prefabricated results. These actions are in stark contrast with two objectives which are cherished by the University — getting at the truth and forging a democratic society. Both of these are obviously anathema to GMA.
Public Office is a public trust. All public officials are accountable to the people at all times. This is one of the core principles enshrined in our Constitution. The President’s previous silence on the anomalous NBN-ZTE deal and her belated admission of prior knowledge violate this core principle. This is only the latest of her violations.
As an academic community we know that the truth cannot be found in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In UP’s Centennial year, the faculty continues to uphold its tradition of being one with our people. We commit ourselves to the struggle to build a progressive society and a responsible and accountable government which subscribes to the principle that sovereignty resides in the people and all governmental authority emanates from them.
But first, GMA must go!
The statement was unanimously approved by the UP Diliman University Council. 27 February 2008
[...] What is communal action? Do I storm on the streets and cry for “truth� Do I join groups planning to do radical actions? Should I support the University Council of the University of the Philippines Diliman call that GMA must go? [...]
Please STOP. All you in power and making every individual pilipino dull and stupid please stop you are not making it better for our country by dictating- manipulating every individual pilipino, to rally out for the purpose of ousting our president by use of force, your just making it worst to the spectator ( International Community) for one thing its reflect much of our irregularity ,we the small people suffer much. just make yourselves rich and let us be (small people). yes we have confussing country in general ( im not just pointing at our government) guess to stop this irregularity let us all be proud president of the philippine and just help progress our beloved country, no single president but all individual is president just to please everyone.hahahahaha. Let us help our government .let our respected president sit untill 2010 is you really not like her then dont vote no need for force. why make use of the innocent hard working pilipino suffer for you power greediness. PLEASE STOP. I BEG YOU – THE SPONSORS OF MAKING PILIPINO THEM STUPID. Its futile zte scandal what is there to discuss. the zte deal contract is off please note of that fact. one thing I have learned in my philosopy subject during my university years is that do something before you complain because there is something to complain about. get the point then what is there to discuss no one now get any commission in the zte deal because there is no zte deal to began with. hahaha im not a top lawyer or even just a lawyer but I know of this for a fact. not even having a 100m percent I.Q.hahaha. no need to brag in the senate who is a graduate of ateneo, la salle or even in u.p stop the bragging and nagging of who is the best of the best intellectual mind, help the people.ok regarding hello garci please stop I believe that every candidate have the right to ask if everything is doing well nothing being heard saying that make my vote bigger. Dont exagge of good presidents all fallen thus making us look bad. I beg of all great and wise pilipino individual let us protest because we acknowledge our rights yet let us not make us of our forvce to oust every president that doesnt satisfy our individual needs or yet let us all be wise president and manipulate our country to the trash we go, we look really bad in the international community. Christian community who creates generates part of irregularity please be just a guide to us do not lead us to in our loss, I even loss interest in going to church this days because im afraid the priest might act political. ahhahaha. Student you diont personally know our president you dont have first hand information just hearsay stop and listen I know every one of pilipino is so bright and windy. Please stop do not let the pretenders blind you because they live in province and a graduate of ateneo thus living in all glorious simple life. are you really that stupid to just believe.hahahahaha where is our brain, is it in our hands , in green. hhahahahaha.let the president term ends if you dont like her then dont vote. I believe in god, our country and every pilipino who is striving to make our nation be great in all aspect.
just a comment/reply to mark..
iniinsulto mo ba ang prinsipyo at paninindigan ng mga kabataang tunay na MULAT at may pagmamalasakit sa bayan?..
you stated that:
I believe that every candidate have the right to ask if everything is doing well nothing being heard saying that make my vote bigger. Dont exagge ..
don’t you know na labag sa kostitusyon ang ginawa ni PGMA nang mga panahon na yun?..sa mga sinabi mo, mas lalo kong nakita kung gaano kabulok ang sistema ng edukasyon dito sa ating bansa..
why is it easy for you to demand right away the resignation of leaders yet you do not have any good alternative to take the possition? isa ba sa inyo sa student council kayang pumalit sa kanya?