BAGUIO CITY - The Moral Force Movement organized by Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno is set to meet this weekend for the first time to help ensure the hoding of free and honest elections in 2010.

Puno said the mini-summit, scheduled this Saturday, is meant to further strengthen the movement for a fair, free and honest elections in 2010.

"It is a mini-summit in a sense that we will be calling over these other moral forces and we'll see how through coordinated, parallel efforts we can achieve our goal in a more efficacious manner," he said at the sidelines of the Forum on Environmental Justice in Baguio City.
 
One of the group's agenda for the summit, he said, is "how to impart to our people the moral virtues that are on the line in the holding of this coming election."

The Chief Justice said that while the summit's highest priority is to ensure the holding of elections in 2010, he expects the movement to tackle other issues "where our moral values as a people are concerned."

Responding to a question, Puno said Bro. Mike Velarde of El Shaddai and Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Jesus is Lord will not be invited to the summit.

"Those who may be involved in the coming elections will not be a part of the group. As I've said, this is a social movement, not a political movement, so it is non-partisan and apolitical," he said.

He also said the group has not discussed the recent moves in Congress to amend the Charter before the 2010 elections.

Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez earlier identified eight individuals who would comprise the core of the Moral Force Movement,

The core group consists of Ambassador Henrietta "Tita" De Villa of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting; Marixi Prieto, chairperson of Philippine Daily Inquirer; Monsignor Jerry Santos, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education of the Catholoc Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); Dr Emerito Nacpil, a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church of the Philippines; retired Brig. Gen. Jaime Echeverria, president of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO); Dr. Milwida "Nene" Guevarra, a former undersecretary of the Department of finance and now Synergeia Foundation director; lawyer Andres Bautista, dean of the Institute of Law of Far Eastern University; and, Noorain Sabdulla, one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 2008.

Marquez said the core group had met twice and had formed a technical working group.

The SC spokesman admitted that the group is now focused on the 2010 elections.

"The focus is on the 2010 elections and trying to define what a transformational leader is. The group wants to choose and elect transformational leaders from the highest to the lowest post," said Marquez.

He clarified, however, that this does not mean that the Moral Force Movement would endorse a candidate.

"The movement will not be endorsing any candidate, they will only give qualities of the candidates we need to elect."

Marquez said Puno selected the members of the core group and had attended its initial meetings.

He said that Puno would later detach himself from the group and would assign a spokesman for the movement. He said that with this move, it would end speculations that Puno would be using the movement for his political plan.

"The judiciary is being shielded from this...The Chief Justice would just like to convene the movement, this group, and once its moving, he plans to step aside already," said Marquez.