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Monday, April 26, 2004
Arroyo welcomes putting off of May 1 protest
MANILA -- President Arroyo's government welcomed Sunday the decision of the opposition and civil society groups to postpone their protest action against President Arroyo originally set on May 1.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the spirit of the Labor Day celebration should be spared from politics.
"(But) we would prefer that activities which may disturb what is the prevailing quiet circumstances, that these types of activities not push through. But we are always for freedom of speech, freedom of expression but within the bounds of law," Bunye said.
Malacaņang also appealed to the "good sense of rally organizers" to could cancel the activities.
"But if they are really bent on doing that, we can only appeal to them that they police their own ranks and that they should stick to general guidelines prevailing when it comes to public demonstrations," Bunye said.
Michael Defensor, presidential campaign spokesman, said instead of going to the streets, the opposition should bring their complaints to the proper offices like the Supreme Court and the Commission on Elections, which had dismissed similar suits against Arroyo recently.
Arroyo, for her part, called on her detractors not to desecrate the Labor Day celebration on May 1 by engaging in destabilization moves.
Honor workers
In a press conference at the residence of Isabela governor Faustino Dy in San Miguel in Isabela late Sunday afternoon, Arroyo said May 1 should be used to honor the workers and to reflect on ways to improve their wages and working conditions.
Meanwhile, Bunye said any effort to derail the elections on May 10 is anti-democratic.
Bunye reiterated that President Arroyo remains committed to holding the elections as scheduled.
Presidential aspirant Panfilo Lacson earlier warned that the holding of protest actions close to the elections might only result in the cancellation of the exercise.
He said there is also a plan hatched by "political adventurists" for opposition candidates to withdraw from the race to create a crisis that would prompt Arroyo to step down.
The actions are reportedly part of moves by the opposition to express disgust on the alleged diversion of government funds for Arroyo's campaign. JMR
(April 26, 2004 issue)
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