BY EVANGELINE DE VERA

CHIEF Justice Reynato Puno is forming an advisory council to the "Moral Force" movement in the fight against corruption.

Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez confirmed that Puno has been talking with leaders from the business, Church, media, governance, youth and other sectors to form part of the advisory council.

Among those who have reportedly accepted Puno’s offer were a businessman involved in telecommunications, a media mogul, and a former lady ambassador.

Marquez begged off from naming them.

He said talks are ongoing with leaders of different sectors to complete the advisory council.

But he said Puno plans to convene the members of the advisory council next week to come up with parameters for the moral force movement prior to its official launching which may take place before the Holy Week in April.

"There will be no politicians involved. The advisory council will be composed of highly respected individuals who have no political affiliations and who represent different sectors of society," he said.

Marquez said Puno does not want to lead the council and will be content to be just the catalyst for the movement which he said is neither anti-administration nor pro-opposition.

Its primary purpose, he said, will be to inform the public on the ills of society so they will not be desensitized into inaction.

"It’s going to be a positive-neutral constructive movement. It won’t point an accusing finger at anyone. It’s just to make people aware of rampant corruption in government, etc. and for them to make a stand. It’s not only for the administration but also for opposition," he said.

Aside from exposing graft and corruption in the government, Marquez said the Moral Force will also campaign for clean and honest elections in 2010 and actively promote programs that will help alleviate poverty in the country.

He said the group will not support any particular political candidate in 2010 as it intends to remain neutral.

Told the movement might be misconstrued as a vehicle for Puno’s political bid, Marquez said: "If it’s a choice between being misconstrued and inaction, we’d rather be misconstrued."

Puno is retiring in May next year. Last month, he ended speculations he is eyeing the presidency next year, saying that his three "advisers," referring to his three grandchildren ages 7, 5 and 4, were against it.

Marquez said Puno is concerned about declining moral standards that he said has led to problems such as poverty, crimes, and graft and corruption.

"History will tell us that a lot of civilizations have fallen because they were not able to arrest moral decadence. Pag nagtuloy-tuloy pa, baka bumagsak ang democracy," he said.

Puno earlier said that the country’s main problem is moral decadence, which he said is the root cause of graft and corruption and poverty.