That was expected. She said the same thing after the issuance of the first CBCP pastoral letter.

The bishops said the search for truth must be conducted legally. Congress has nothing to show after investigating Virgilio Garcillano of the famed Garci tapes in three hearings.

And the same people in Congress who threw out the impeachment charge last year will sit in judgment should another impeachment charge be filed.

***

The first visible effect of the letter is Malacañang’s official backing off from its no-election campaign.

Only last week, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita denied Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye’s report that the majority in the Council of State meeting wanted elections held. He said the issue was not decided.

Now Ermita says that the elections will definitely be held.

***

But Malacañang stands firm in its campaign to rewrite the Constitution notwithstanding the bishops’ strong opposition.

The bishops said, "We do not support hasty efforts to change this fundamental law of the land without the widespread discussion and participation that such changes require."

In a swipe at Charger change promoters among whom are the President, Fidel Ramos, and Joe de Venecia, the bishops said Charter change should be based on "the common good rather than on self-serving interests… "

The bishops, in their Christian way, may be trying to save the promoters of Charter change from the anger of the people at being stuck with a Constitution dictated by a group of three.

Why work so hard to impose on the people what they do not want?