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Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Church leader calls for 'people power' to oust Arroyo (9:38 p.m.)
MANILA -- The head of an influential group of Roman Catholic bishops called Tuesday for a new "people power" revolt in the Philippines to fight endemic corruption.
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), made the comments amid mounting calls for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign as a Senate inquiry looks into alleged bribery in a US$330 million (euro225 million) government contract with Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corp.
Church leaders backed earlier "people power" protests by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos that toppled two presidents in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation - late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and President Joseph Estrada in 2001.
Lagdameo told reporters after meeting with about 50 civic, student and business groups that the massive anti-corruption movement that ousted Estrada was a disappointment because it "installed a president (Arroyo) who later on was judged by surveys as the most corrupt president."
"We went from one frying pan to a worse frying pan," he added.
He called for a "brand new people power" and said a campaign against corruption in government may be a start.
Priests and nuns have offered refuge to a key witness in the Senate investigation - a former consultant for the project, Rodolfo Lozada Jr. - amid threats to his life. They have also organized prayer protests and joined street rallies calling for Arroyo's resignation and a clean government. (AP) |
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