Authorities of government officials are not absolute. They enjoy powers only as much as the Constitution and other pertinent laws allow. And when violations arise, the Constitution grants impeachment as a legal means to remove an official from power. It is a right guaranteed to the people, from whom sovereignty resides and where all government authority emanates from.

As such, no one should be arrested for merely asserting a Constitutional right nor should they be targeted for doing such. Filing an impeachment charge is not a crime.

We remind the government, including the Philippine National Police, that they draw their mandate from the people. Obedience must always be premised on a lawful order, lest we disregard the rule of law, which they too vowed to respect and protect.

The 1987 Constitution is explicit: public office is public trust. The call for everyone is guard democracy against possible abuses that will piece through laws that seek to guard our rights and dignity. ###