Senator Sergio Osmeña III yesterday said presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada did not get away with suppression of the truth, and neither will Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Osmeña was reacting to Arroyo's Executive Order 464 invoking her executive privilege in banning senior government officials from testifying before congressional hearings without her permission, and her no permit-no rally policy.

This is tantamount to obstruction of justice, the president is doing everything to stop the truth from coming out, he told the DAILY STAR.

Leaders of groups in Negros Occidental calling for the resignation of Arroyo yesterday also said they would defy the "no permit, no rally" order of the President.

Osmeña said the Senate is set to probe about 12 cases allegedly involving misuse of funds by the administration.

But Arroyo yesterday said the series of Senate investigations into her administration are part of a wide conspiracy to destabilize.

Arroyo, in a speech to families of military veterans, defended her stance of banning executive officials from appearing at Senate investigations, saying they were "inquiries in aid of destabilization."

"I put my foot down for the sake of the people. For the sake of enabling the government to work, rather than be disabled by the politics of insult," Arroyo said.

Arroyo said these investigations merely resulted in "kangaroo court confusion leading to a situation where it is easy to have a power grab."

She charged that the investigations were part of a continued effort to undermine her government following the quashing of an impeachment complaint in Congress on September 6 and the failure of opposition attempts to organize huge street protests against her.

"They didn't succeed in the impeachment, they did not succeed in the streets ... now they are bringing their battleground to the Senate," she said.

The president said she wanted the truth to come out but only in a forum "where the rule of law is observed, where the rules of evidence are observed where those accused have a right to present their own defense in accordance with time-tested regulations."

UNCONSTITUTIONAL

But Osmena said EO 464 is grossly unconstitutional and stretches the constitutional meaning of executive privilege, which he and other senators are preparing to challenge before the Supreme Court.

Our lawyers are drafting our complaint that could be filed by Tuesday, he said.

With that EO the Senate cannot even subpoena the cook in Malacanang, it is that extensive, he said.

This is because she does not want the truth to come out, contrary to her claim that she does, he said.

Osmeña also said the EO should only be able to take effect 15 days after publication.

He said the president's camp blocked the truth from coming out through the impeachment proceedings and is attempting to block every other venue.

RALLIES STILL ON

Meanwhile Ben Solilapsi of Alab Katipunan said his group will stage a rally at the soonest possible time to contest the "no permit, no rally order" in Bacolod City.

"We will continue our peaceful rallies in Bacolod as our constitutional rights. No law can be passed abridging these rights," he said.

Rodolfo Parreño of the Negros Movement for Moral Regeneration also said earlier that their group will continue with its rallies.

Sanlakas Negros spokesman Ariel Guides yesterday asked how calls for redress of grievances as an expression of sovereignty, as against an "illegitimate president like GMA," can be illegal.

By issuing the "no permit-no rally" order Arroyo is killing what is left of the people's civil liberties since all avenues for the quest of truth have been tyrannically stifled, Partido ng Manggagawa spokesperson Ma. Luisa Parroco said.

Guides and Parroco were reacting to the statement of Chief Supt. Doroteo Reyes, regional PNP director, that the police in Western Visayas have been ordered to clamp down on violators of the "no permit, no rally" order.

Arroyo, Guides, said just like Ferdinand Marcos, Arroyo is showing signs of a fascist ruler and we say no way to this.

Fred Cana of Karapatan Negros said the "no permit, no rally" policy will not stop street protests against Arroyo.

Karapatan Negros called on local officials and the police in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City to uphold the rights of the people and not just become instruments of suppression.

"The people have all the right to assemble and protest, particularly when their welfare is at stake," Karapatan Negros said.*CPG/AFP

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