Press Release
May 6, 2006

THE PRESIDENT NEEDS THE LEGISLATURE FOR GOVERNANCE GORDON

There can be no governance without the Executive and the Legislature working together, stated Senator Richard J. Gordon in reaction to the latest pronouncements of the Supreme Court on the Presidents acts involving Executive Order No. 464 (EO 464), the Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR) policy, and Presidential Proclamation No. 1017 (PP1017).

Gordon observed that with these Supreme Court decisions it is apparent that the President has committed a lot of mistakes. Either the President is ill-advised or she is not listening well to her advisers, he said.

He pointed out that tourism, business, the economy, and the people have all suffered because of the political crisis created by a stubborn President trying to appear strong and supreme by refusing to work together with the Legislature and disregarding respect for the civil liberties of the people.

Gordon who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws said: Instead of doing infirmed executive initiatives and actions and paying no heed to the Legislature, the President should divert her efforts towards meaningful reforms in governance by getting the Legislature to work with her to move our country forward. The President needs the Legislature as her executive power is limited to implementing laws enacted by the Legislature.

GORDON LAUDS THE SUPREME COURT

On the latest Supreme Court decision on PP1017, following two earlier rulings on EO 464 and the CPR policy, Gordon praised the high tribunal for showing integrity and independence in fulfilling its most sacred duty to uphold the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has not failed the people, notwithstanding the fact that a majority of the Justices sitting there right now were appointed by the incumbent President. They are an enlightened batch of Justices who have displayed utmost integrity in their decisions. They have shown credibility as defenders of freedom and the Constitution, he commended.

IMPORTANCE OF CHECKS AND BALANCES

The Constitution does not allow our nation to be subjected to a one-man (or woman) rule, which we have seen from the latest Supreme Court pronouncements, stated Gordon.

The people should realize the importance of the principle of separation of powers, as well as checks and balances in government, as provided in the Constitution the very Constitution that some individuals are trying to amend or revise based on vested interests and personal agenda, he added.

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