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Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Thousands show support for Arroyo
CEBU CITY -- Forty-three towns and cities in Cebu were represented in Monday’s Capitol-led rally to show support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid allegations of electoral fraud.
Three congressmen, some Provincial Board members, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Felix Guanzon, officers from business groups and mayors, including Cebu City’s Tomas Osmeña, gathered together to call for stability for the economy’s sake.
“Cebuanos, as well as all Filipinos in other provinces, should stand up and be heard,” said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, adding that the “noisy minority in Manila” should not be allowed to decide on the fate of the whole nation.
Capitol officials pegged the crowd at 10,000 but police placed it at 3,000 to 4,000.
Other speakers, including from the business sector, took the chance in lashing out what they call a campaign to mangle the country’s democracy and economic progress.
Representative Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north district) said, “Ilang gusto ratsadahon ang resulta sa eleksyon dinhi sa Cebu. Unsa man tang mga Cebuano, tikasan? Gibaliw na nang mga tawhana.”
Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay, vice president of the Cebu mayors’ league, said Arroyo should be given a chance to improve the economy.
“We can’t let the political circus in Manila go on,” said Robert Go, president of Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
While Cebuano politicians and businessman rallied behind the president, the Cebu Archdiocese is urging President Arroyo to speak-up on the woes hounding her administration.
Cebu Archdiocesan media liaison officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay said that on the jueteng issue, the President has to “make a statement, saying the illegal gambling games should be put to a stop.”
On the tape containing a conversation between Arroyo and a Comelec official about the rigging the results of the 2004 elections, Dakay said it should be settled in court.
At Cebu City Hall, Councilor Edgardo Labella said the President should take a strong stand against the alleged plotters of destabilization, but she should also investigate her own camp for alleged involvement in gambling.
He urged those who may have evidence against members of the Arroyo administration to go through the legal processes and not take their concerns to the streets.
Some militant labor organizations in Cebu, however, called for President Arroyo’s ouster and for the organization of transitional revolutionary committee to implement needed reforms in government before another leader is elected.
Others are calling on her to step down and to allow genuine reforms to be implemented.
But Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong preferred that Malacañang should create a commission acceptable to the people to probe the allegations.
“At first it will be suspect because it will be Malacañang, who will initiate, but if you already have the faces, suspicions will be set aside and doubts will be eroded,” said Maambong in Monday’s rally.
Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia considered the event successful, even though it was a “snap decision” to hold the activity. The crowd came from as far as Danao City in the north and Carcar in the south.
Governor Garcia said the rally was “not a Lakas affair, but a coming together of all Cebuanos, who believe in stability, democracy and the duly constituted authorities.”
“We believe that she is the best person to lead the country, in the light of recent events, and in spite of recent events,” the governor added.
Mayor Binghay also had doubts about a change in leadership.
“This is a vicious political cycle and we can’t prevent the people from believing. But shall we again change our president? Why don’t we again give the President a chance to improve this country,” said Binghay.
Just as del Mar, Representatives Red Durano of the fifth district and Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City south district both said in their speeches that development will be achieved only if united.
Former governor Pablo Garcia, who also spoke at the rally, said that if people in Manila don’t want Arroyo anymore she could “come home to Cebu and we will protect you.”
Meanwhile, Dakay clarified that the Archdiocese’s statement does not suggest anything on the President’s guilt or innocence.
But Dakay pointed out that President Arroyo is yet to openly criticize the jueteng scandal that has incriminated her son Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and brother-in-law Representative Ignacio Arroyo, as recipients of jueteng payola, according to whistle blower Sandra Cam.
“This would help towards solving the problem. The next move then would be on how to punish those receiving jueteng money,” said Dakay, regardless if those involved are the President’s relatives.
Echoing the Church’s stand, Cebu City Councilor Labella also supports a “vigorous inquiry and prosecution of public officials who may have conspired with jueteng lords, including her official family.”
“She should spare no one so that she can show the citizenry that she’s serious in fighting gambling and in inspiring economic development,” said Labella in a phone interview.
As to proposals for a transitional government, some militant labor groups plan to educate and unify employees’ organizations and unions to help lobby for Arroyo to step down and for the transition council, composed of multi-sectoral representatives, to start reforming the government.
“We will unite the labor power para ug naa’y People Power four, panguluhan sa mamumuo ug kabus,” said Edwin Ruaza of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)-Cebu.
Ruaza said that after learning the lessons of Edsa 1 and 2, they will educate the workers’ and urban poor sector to lobby for changes in the system, instead of being swayed by calls for impeachment, a military junta and a snap election.
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)-Cebu spokesperson Bryan Nadua also said that removing Arroyo in power would only allow Vice President Noli de Castro to take her place.
“Changing the president is not the simple answer to the problems we are facing,” said Nadua.
PM and BMP, along with other labor and urban poor groups, will be joining the June 30 nationwide rally against the Arroyo government. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex) |
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