Razon finds no problem with revocation of EO 464

By Ronron
February 28, 2008

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. said Thursday that he finds no problem with the revocation of Executive Order 464, which was recommended by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) last Tuesday night.

Razon said in fact, even when the said EO was in effect since its issuance in September 2005, he still showed up at the Senate when invited for some hearings.

“For me, it’s okay to revoke EO 464 because I see no problem in facing our Senators and Congressman. I don’t think it will really be a problem,” he told reporters in an interview at Camp Crame yesterday afternoon.

Instead of joining the calls for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the CBCP pressed on letting the truth out behind the allegations hurled against the current administration.

To achieve this, the CBCP urged the Arroyo government to junk EO 464, which Arroyo issued to let members of the Executive Branch seek her permission before appearing at Congressional hearings.

The EO was criticized by some sectors as a clear attempt of the Arroyo administration to evade scrutiny, especially that it came at a time when the Senate was probing the alleged electoral fraud in the 2004 Presidential polls.

Razon said he learned from Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno on Wednesday that the Cabinet will already be discussing for the possible review of the imposition of EO 464.

Razon disclosed that no less than Puno will be recommending to the Cabinet for a review on said order.

The police chief, meanwhile, hailed the CBCP statement, saying that by not calling for Arroyo’s resignation, it left a “calming effect on the Christian population.”

“What we can say on the stand of the CBCP not to call for the resignation of the President is that it has a calming effect on the Christian population amidst some calls for resignation, or coup d’ etat, or violence,” Razon said.

“What we are saying is that there should be no violence or resorting to extra-legal means because all these will put down our country again,” he added.

Arroyo’s family and administration is being linked to the alleged anomaly behind the $329-million national broadband network project that was cancelled last year./DMS