MANILA, 5 May 2004 — Hollywood action star Steven Seagal made headlines here yesterday by giving the thumbs up for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in next Monday’s election.

The actor visited the presidential palace to discuss shooting a movie in the Philippines, but ended up rooting for Arroyo — giving her campaign a bit of the star appeal that thus far has been the advantage of her political opponents.

Arroyo was away on the campaign trail, but Seagal described himself as “a big fan of the president.”

“I’ve never met her, but my impression of her is that she’s very straight, sincere, honest, really talented president, and I hope she gets re-elected,” newspapers quoted Seagal as saying on Monday.

Filipinos will be electing, apart from the president, their next vice president, 12 senators, House of Representatives members, and local officials from governors down to municipal councilors.

The statement drew criticism from the opposition, ABS-CBN TV reported.

Celebrities are nothing new to Philippine politics.

Arroyo’s rival, Fernando Poe Jr., is a local movie legend, and so is Arroyo’s predecessor, former President Joseph Estrada, who was ousted in “people power” protests in January 2001.

Seagal said actors can make good political leaders, citing former US President Ronald Reagan as his example.

“Reagan was a pretty good one, but I think it really depends on the situation,” Seagal said.

A frequent visitor to the Philippines, Seagal said he was ready to do “anything” to promote the country as a tourist destination.

Honasan

Meanwhile, Arroyo’s campaign spokesman Michael Defensor doused speculations of a compromise agreement between Senator Gregorio Honasan and the administration, saying the former army colonel notorious for his failed coup attempts has remained with the opposition bloc.

“We don’t have the same candidate and we don’t belong to one party. He (Honasan) is still with the KNP,” Defensor said at a press briefing here.

Honasan is in charge of the security committee of KNP standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

Defensor said the only link Honasan has with the administration was a covenant they signed on Monday “to promote programs for peace, unification, reconciliation, and development being undertaken by President Arroyo and the platform of good governance, political, economic, social and constitutional reform of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.”

Honasan signed as chairman of the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc. (PGBI), a group of active and retired soldiers taking part in the party-list election.

Speculations have been rife that Honasan defected to Arroyo’s camp in exchange for the dropping of rebellion charges against him.

Defensor said Honasan did not ask for anything in exchange of signing the contract. “In fact, the (rebellion) case has already been filed before the Supreme Court,” he pointed out, “ There is no deal with Senator Honasan and even on his part, he does not ask anything to settle his case.”

Honasan has been linked to the failed mutiny of over 200 junior military officers and soldiers in Makati City on July 27, 2003.