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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Arroyo, Cabinet men walk for unity
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her Cabinet on Tuesday kicked off a "solidarity walk" in Malacañang to prove that they remain solid behind the Chief Executive.
Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said the "solidarity walk" was made from the Premier Guest House to the State Dining Room in Malacañang Palace and topped by a photo opportunity.
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Golez said aside from the President, who was seen walking beside Commission on Higher Education (Ched) Romulo Neri, all Cabinet members participated except those who were still out of the country or out of town.
The walk was made a day after a joint Cabinet statement was issued reiterating their loyalty to Arroyo whom they claimed should be allowed to finish her term until 2010.
"We went through the process of having all the Cabinet members gather together and have a photo opportunity with the President and walked to the other side coming here just to show the people that there's no truth to the effort of people against her," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
He said it was a Cabinet initiative and "it is not even directed by the President."
He added that Arroyo was also in upbeat and in high spirits.
Ermita also denied that it was mere theatrics or a "drama."
He said everyone was present except Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus who were both abroad and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando who just arrived in Manila.
Ermita said the solidarity walk followed a fellowship dinner he hosted for the Cabinet members where they officially signed the manifesto rejecting calls of former government officials for them to resign.
He denied that it was a loyalty check, but the dinner aims to "let them know that everything is okay and we have to show the world that we are together."
Ermita said Arroyo dropped by the dinner about 30 minutes before they broke off where she asked how they were and also thanked them for their continued support.
"She (President Arroyo) knew about the joint statement, she knew about the press conference, and so the least the President said, thank you very much, everybody for being here, and for your support," said Ermita.
Aside from the calls for the Cabinet resignation, opposition members also called for Arroyo to resign amid controversies in her Cabinet, the latest of which is the alleged irregularities in the cancelled US$329 million national broadband network (NBN) deal with China's ZTE Corp. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (February 20, 2008 issue)
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