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| Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
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Judgment Day for Arroyo as Philippine bishops meet MANILA, July 9 (Reuters) Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo faced judgment day on Saturday with the influential Catholic Bishops Conference set to issue a statement that is expected to join the chorus calling for her to resign. Arroyo's prognosis took a dramatic turn for the worse on Friday when one by one the bastions of the Philippine establishment deserted her: her economic managers, corporate chieftains, civic groups and political allies. The bitterest blow came from an old friend and ally, former president Cory Aquino, who called on Arroyo to make the "supreme sacrifice" because "good and effective government has become an impossible undertaking". Officials and analysts said her exit was not a matter of if but when - and how. Few want to see the president bundled out of office in another "people power" revolt. "That consensus now is that the tipping point has been reached," said University of Philippines political science professor Alex Magno. "There is little time to spare. The longer it takes the President to respond to the well-meaning calls for her resignation the direr the scenarios become." Arroyo, whose mandate runs until 2010, is facing the toughest test of her four years as leader over allegations that she tried to influence the vote-count in last year's presidential election and that family members took kickbacks from illegal gambling. Catholic church sources said the nation's bishops were leaning towards asking Arroyo, who attends Mass every day and calls God her best friend, to sacrifice herself for the good of the nation in a statement to be issued on Saturday afternoon. The church has traditionally played a politically powerful role in this predominantly Catholic nation and has been at the forefront of two popular revolts that toppled presidencies. MILITARY NEUTRAL In Manila, the military and police were on the highest level of alert. General Efren Abu, the military's chief of staff, has ordered troops not to intervene in the political crisis. Fears of military intervention always bubble up in time of political stress in a country that has seen 19 attempted coups or mutinies over the past two decades. Arroyo, while admitting to a lapse in judgment for talking to an election official last year while the presidential vote was being counted, has denied any wrong-doing. She is adamant that she will not follow in the footsteps of her predecessor, disgraced president Joseph Estrada, and be forced from office by popular pressure. "I was duly elected to uphold the constitution," Arroyo said on government radio on Friday. "I say take your grievances to Congress where I am very willing to submit to due process." Two impeachment complaints have been prepared against Arroyo, whose
majority in the lower house of Congress is likely to quash any attempt to
oust her. |
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