National Transformation Council (NTC Facebook Page)
MANILA, Feb. 23, 2015— A Catholic archbishop who is part of an interfaith organization calling for President Benigno Aquino III’s resignation remained uninfluenced by the statement made by Justice Secretary Leila De Lima that they may face legal charges.
“If they are truly following the law, then apply the law,” said Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of the National Transformation Council (NTC).
The strong reaction came after De Lima said that the NTC is already bordering on criminal acts for its activities aimed to remove Aquino from the presidency.
Arguelles said their call for Aquino to step down remains, adding that there’s nothing illegal about it.
“We, in the NTC, are not doing anything illegal. We are patriots defending our country, our Constitution and our people,” he said.
News reports earlier quoted De Lima that NTC-led forums and conferences “can already be contemplated as conspiracies relating to sedition, rebellion or coup d’état”.
The NTC, which involves some religious leaders from the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations, earlier reiterated their demand for the President to resign saying it has now become “urgent and imperative”.
Other prelates identified with NTC include Cebu Archbishop emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Davao Archbishop emeritus Fernando Capalla, Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo de la Cruz, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, Naval Bishop Filomeno Bactol, and Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)
