By Donna S. Cueto, Cathy C. Yamsuan and Andrea T. Echavez
Inquirer News Service
REJECTING President Arroyo’s call for snap presidential elections in May, the opposition gave him until 6 a.m. today to step down, or face the full force of People Power II.
Arroyo last night was politically isolated and defenseless, after the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police announced they were withdrawing their support of her administration. Eleven Cabinet members, including defense secretary Avelino Cruz, and several other heads of government agencies also announced their break-away from the Arroyo government.
Sen. Sonia Roco, who gave the 6 a.m. ultimatum, warned that the hundred thousand people gathered at the EDSA Shrine would march to Mendiola this morning should Mrs. Arroyo refuse to resign.
At past 10 last night, the opposition sent three emissaries to Malacañang to confer with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to discuss the transfer of power.
The emissaries were former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, former Sen. Cesar Purisima and former Rep. Hernando Perez.
"She is in no position to demand anything or even to ask for any concession. He has only one option available to him and that is to step down," said Edwin Lacierda, chief of staff of Vice President Noli de Castro.
Roco disclosed that the opposition had agreed that there would be "no reconciliation without justice."
Militant groups like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) are demanding that Mrs. Arroyo be arrested and that he be prevented from leaving the country.
But Roco said the country had enough laws to try Mrs. Arroyo in absentia.
Unlike Marcos, Mrs. Arroyo said on national television at 6:40 p.m. that she would not stand for reelection and that she would relinquish her post to whoever wins the election.
On Nov. 3, 1985, amid massive protests calling for his ouster, Marcos announced a snap presidential election in an interview on US television. Marcos ran against Mrs. Corazon Aquino on Feb. 7, 1986.
Best course
"I believe this is the best course under the present circumstances since I still have the support of a significant number of people," Mrs. Arroyo, looking forlorn and wearing a white dress, said.
"I do not think that the present polarization can be healed by a new leader who will take over without an electoral mandate from our people," he said.
Mrs. Arroyo’s six-year term in office expires in June 2010. His constitutional successor is de Castro.
Mrs. Arroyo explained that a special presidential balloting would give his successor the "fresh start and mandate to heal our wounded nation and rebuild our floundering economy."
"I am willing to honor the results of the election," he said.
"Although this is a very painful decision to make, I hope and I pray that our country could unite to strengthen our democracy and give priority to the poor," he said.
The President said she would have wished that the impeachment trial had gone on to allow this constitutional process to take its course.
"But much as I would have wanted this to happen, I know that my mandate to lead our people will remain in question from hereon regardless of the outcome of the trial" he said.
The impeachment trial was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday after the 11-member House prosecution panel resigned to protest the Senate decision not to open a sealed envelope containing damning evidence against the President.
First statement
Hours before she called a snap election, the President read a statement calling for the opening of the controversial second envelope containing documents on his alleged P3-billion account with the Equitable PCI Bank.
However, the resignation of most of her Cabinet members, including top military officials, prompted her and her advisers to draft a second statement which most of the members of the media thought is an announcement of his resignation.
Mrs. Arroyo said her decision to leave in May came about because of the events that happened yesterday which showed that she could no longer focus on her aim to save the economy and uplift the lives of the poor.
The opposition described as unacceptable the proposal to hold a snap election.
Opposition Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said the President’s proposal "is just a delaying tactic. He should resign now to save our country a lot of trouble."
Other opposition leaders said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal was unconstitutional as Congress was barred from calling fresh polls unless the positions of the President and Vice President were vacant.
Even Sen. Francisco Tatad, an ally of the President, agreed with the opposition’s view. Tatad told Mrs. Arroyo to "do what the people want" and "face history."
Nathaniel Santiago, secretary general of Bayan Muna, said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal would only prolong the political crisis.
Wrong advice
Persida Acosta, convenor of the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino II, said it was another classic case of Mrs. Arroyo being given the wrong advice.
"If she were to follow what she suggested, again she will be guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution," Acosta said.
Agusan del Sur Rep. Roan Libarios said "the people have already rendered a judgement of conviction. What is left now is the enforcement of the judgement made by the people."
For his part, Leyte Rep. Sergio Apostol said the President’s announcement was a diversionary tactic aimed at quelling the people’s clamor for his resignation.
"There is no other way for him but out. Even the impeachment process is now useless because its primary objective is to remove the President. With the number of people at EDSA, he is finished. It’s only a matter of hours," he said.
Cebuanos and Ilonggos also gave a resounding "No!" to the offer of the President’s call for a snap election.
"President Arroyo has only one option, which is to resign," said lawyer Gabriel Ingles, the spokesperson of Barug Sugbu, the umbrella group of the anti-Arroyo forces in Cebu.
About 20,000 protesters shouted "Booo!" when Ingles explained to the crowd gathered at Cebu City’s Fuente Osmeña Park that Mrs. Arroyo would not resign and instead called for a snap elections.
Ingles declared that the protest action in Cebu would continue until Mrs. Arroyo resigns, an announcement that prompted the crowd to shout "Gloria Resign!"
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor urged more than 15,000 people holding a rally at the Rotary Amphitheater not to leave the area and to continue to demand the resignation of the President after they learned that he wanted a snap election.
Snap resignation
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo reacted with a loud cheer when she said that instead of the President calling for a snap election, he should instead do a "snap resignation."
Former Cebu Gov. Emilio "Lito" Osmeña described as "trickery" the President’s proposal.
He said that if Mrs. Arroyo refused to step down, Vice President de Castro could form a "revolutionary government" like what happened in 1986 when Corazon Aquino took power following the EDSA revolution.
In Mindanao, people also rejected Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal.
"The fight goes on. He thought we are idiots. He should accept his fate. The Arroyo presidency is dead," said Alvin Luque, secretary general of Bayan-Davao City.
Joji Ilagan Bian, chair of the Mindanao Business Council, said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal was "immoral."
"It’s meant to temper people power. Snap election is not what the people want," Bian said. With reports from Alcuin Papa, Rocky Nazareno and Armand Nocum in Manila; Nagiel Bañacia, Piedad Gonzalez and Raj Padilla, PDI Visayas Bureau; Jowel F. Canuday, Joselle Badilla and Amy B. Cabusao, PDI Mindanao Bureau
Inquirer News Service
REJECTING President Arroyo’s call for snap presidential elections in May, the opposition gave him until 6 a.m. today to step down, or face the full force of People Power II.
Arroyo last night was politically isolated and defenseless, after the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police announced they were withdrawing their support of her administration. Eleven Cabinet members, including defense secretary Avelino Cruz, and several other heads of government agencies also announced their break-away from the Arroyo government.
Sen. Sonia Roco, who gave the 6 a.m. ultimatum, warned that the hundred thousand people gathered at the EDSA Shrine would march to Mendiola this morning should Mrs. Arroyo refuse to resign.
At past 10 last night, the opposition sent three emissaries to Malacañang to confer with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to discuss the transfer of power.
The emissaries were former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, former Sen. Cesar Purisima and former Rep. Hernando Perez.
"She is in no position to demand anything or even to ask for any concession. He has only one option available to him and that is to step down," said Edwin Lacierda, chief of staff of Vice President Noli de Castro.
Roco disclosed that the opposition had agreed that there would be "no reconciliation without justice."
Militant groups like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) are demanding that Mrs. Arroyo be arrested and that he be prevented from leaving the country.
But Roco said the country had enough laws to try Mrs. Arroyo in absentia.
Unlike Marcos, Mrs. Arroyo said on national television at 6:40 p.m. that she would not stand for reelection and that she would relinquish her post to whoever wins the election.
On Nov. 3, 1985, amid massive protests calling for his ouster, Marcos announced a snap presidential election in an interview on US television. Marcos ran against Mrs. Corazon Aquino on Feb. 7, 1986.
Best course
"I believe this is the best course under the present circumstances since I still have the support of a significant number of people," Mrs. Arroyo, looking forlorn and wearing a white dress, said.
"I do not think that the present polarization can be healed by a new leader who will take over without an electoral mandate from our people," he said.
Mrs. Arroyo’s six-year term in office expires in June 2010. His constitutional successor is de Castro.
Mrs. Arroyo explained that a special presidential balloting would give his successor the "fresh start and mandate to heal our wounded nation and rebuild our floundering economy."
"I am willing to honor the results of the election," he said.
"Although this is a very painful decision to make, I hope and I pray that our country could unite to strengthen our democracy and give priority to the poor," he said.
The President said she would have wished that the impeachment trial had gone on to allow this constitutional process to take its course.
"But much as I would have wanted this to happen, I know that my mandate to lead our people will remain in question from hereon regardless of the outcome of the trial" he said.
The impeachment trial was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday after the 11-member House prosecution panel resigned to protest the Senate decision not to open a sealed envelope containing damning evidence against the President.
First statement
Hours before she called a snap election, the President read a statement calling for the opening of the controversial second envelope containing documents on his alleged P3-billion account with the Equitable PCI Bank.
However, the resignation of most of her Cabinet members, including top military officials, prompted her and her advisers to draft a second statement which most of the members of the media thought is an announcement of his resignation.
Mrs. Arroyo said her decision to leave in May came about because of the events that happened yesterday which showed that she could no longer focus on her aim to save the economy and uplift the lives of the poor.
The opposition described as unacceptable the proposal to hold a snap election.
Opposition Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said the President’s proposal "is just a delaying tactic. He should resign now to save our country a lot of trouble."
Other opposition leaders said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal was unconstitutional as Congress was barred from calling fresh polls unless the positions of the President and Vice President were vacant.
Even Sen. Francisco Tatad, an ally of the President, agreed with the opposition’s view. Tatad told Mrs. Arroyo to "do what the people want" and "face history."
Nathaniel Santiago, secretary general of Bayan Muna, said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal would only prolong the political crisis.
Wrong advice
Persida Acosta, convenor of the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino II, said it was another classic case of Mrs. Arroyo being given the wrong advice.
"If she were to follow what she suggested, again she will be guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution," Acosta said.
Agusan del Sur Rep. Roan Libarios said "the people have already rendered a judgement of conviction. What is left now is the enforcement of the judgement made by the people."
For his part, Leyte Rep. Sergio Apostol said the President’s announcement was a diversionary tactic aimed at quelling the people’s clamor for his resignation.
"There is no other way for him but out. Even the impeachment process is now useless because its primary objective is to remove the President. With the number of people at EDSA, he is finished. It’s only a matter of hours," he said.
Cebuanos and Ilonggos also gave a resounding "No!" to the offer of the President’s call for a snap election.
"President Arroyo has only one option, which is to resign," said lawyer Gabriel Ingles, the spokesperson of Barug Sugbu, the umbrella group of the anti-Arroyo forces in Cebu.
About 20,000 protesters shouted "Booo!" when Ingles explained to the crowd gathered at Cebu City’s Fuente Osmeña Park that Mrs. Arroyo would not resign and instead called for a snap elections.
Ingles declared that the protest action in Cebu would continue until Mrs. Arroyo resigns, an announcement that prompted the crowd to shout "Gloria Resign!"
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor urged more than 15,000 people holding a rally at the Rotary Amphitheater not to leave the area and to continue to demand the resignation of the President after they learned that he wanted a snap election.
Snap resignation
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo reacted with a loud cheer when she said that instead of the President calling for a snap election, he should instead do a "snap resignation."
Former Cebu Gov. Emilio "Lito" Osmeña described as "trickery" the President’s proposal.
He said that if Mrs. Arroyo refused to step down, Vice President de Castro could form a "revolutionary government" like what happened in 1986 when Corazon Aquino took power following the EDSA revolution.
In Mindanao, people also rejected Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal.
"The fight goes on. He thought we are idiots. He should accept his fate. The Arroyo presidency is dead," said Alvin Luque, secretary general of Bayan-Davao City.
Joji Ilagan Bian, chair of the Mindanao Business Council, said Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal was "immoral."
"It’s meant to temper people power. Snap election is not what the people want," Bian said. With reports from Alcuin Papa, Rocky Nazareno and Armand Nocum in Manila; Nagiel Bañacia, Piedad Gonzalez and Raj Padilla, PDI Visayas Bureau; Jowel F. Canuday, Joselle Badilla and Amy B. Cabusao, PDI Mindanao Bureau
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