ZAMBOANGA CITY, 12 June 2005 — The Philippines’ largest Muslim separatist rebel group expressed concern yesterday that their ongoing peace talks with the government could be imperiled by attempts to topple President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Allegations of illegal gambling payoff to Arroyo’s husband, son and brother-in-law and charges that she rigged last year’s elections have fueled coup rumors in Manila.
“We are concerned that any changes in the government, like if Arroyo is forcefully removed from power, could set back our efforts and greatly affect the peace process, especially at this time that the MILF and the government peace negotiators are near in signing an accord that will end the more than three decades of hostilities in the southern Philippines,” said Eid Kabalu, spokesman of the Moro Islamic Front.
“We hope that everything would come to pass peacefully,” he told Arab News.
The MILF said it was also a victim of wiretapping by the government six years ago. It said the police and military bugged telephone conversations of senior MILF leaders, including its chieftain Salamat Hashim and his deputies Murad Ebrahim, Ghazali Jaafar, and Mohagher Iqbal. The military denied this accusation.
The United States on Friday expressed support for the embattled Philippine leader.
“We believe that Gloria Arroyo is the duly elected president, and that is our unequivocal position. That the election, as far as we could see — and we had many dozens, over a hundred, monitors from the embassy and international organizations during the elections — and virtually the entire international community deem those elections credible,” said US Chargé d’Affaires Joseph Mussomeli.
An ex-lawyer for former President Joseph Estrada Allan Paguia distributed to reporters illegally tapped telephone conversation of Arroyo urging an independent election commissioner to ensure she won the elections over closest rival movie actor Fernando Poe Jr.
Paguia said the tapes were sent to him last month by a friend. Estrada was deposed in 2001 in a military-backed popular revolt headed by Arroyo.
De Castro Backs President
Meanwhile, Vice President Noli de Castro yesterday expressed support for President Arroyo and appealed to the people not to heed calls for civil disobedience.
He lamented how politicians were stoking the current turmoil: “I am closely monitoring the latest developments and I am deeply concerned with the way some of our politicians are taking advantage of the situation by urging the people to go to the streets.”
De Castro emphasized that there was no concrete evidence linking Arroyo to misconduct or illegal activities. He said the President was “hardworking” and was doing her best to govern.
He acknowledged the people’s constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances, but said some politicians were invoking this to advance their own interests.
“The nation is in crisis,” he said. “Let us not add to the confusion and destabilization efforts being waged against the government. Let us not deceive the people.”
De Castro said those calling for the president’s removal should follow the constitutional process.
“As leaders of our nation, all of us, whether in the administration or the opposition, have a sworn duty to uphold the Constitution and the law,” he said, adding:
“We should be circumspect. What is at stake today is not just politics but the future of every Filipino.”
De Castro refused to comment on the reported statement of House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles that the administration coalition was sticking with Arroyo because the vice president was not a viable alternative.
Nograles, however, denied saying that. He said what he meant was that there was no viable alternative among the opposition figures calling for the president’s resignation.
He said he had even praised de Castro for urging the people to follow the rule of law.
But Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla said de Castro should take as an “insult” his own colleagues’ supposed view of him as being unfit for the presidency.
For that insult, he said, de Castro should bolt the administration camp.
“He was chosen to run as vice president by the administration coalition during the last election, presumably to be (Arroyo’s) constitutional successor, and was eventually elected by the people. Now they say he is not good for the country,” Remulla observed.
Remulla said he was certain that the vice president could “rise to the challenge and be a capable leader and unifier.”
He said that de Castro ‘s break from the administration would not worsen the political crisis, and that the latter was welcome in the Nacionalista Party, of which he (Remulla) is a member.
Church Clarifies
Meanwhile, the Church clarified that while it had taken Samuel Ong temporarily in its arms, but the act does not mean it shares his cause.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cor-tez, in charge of the seminaries in the Manila archdiocese, made this clear yesterday to answer accusations that the Catholic Church was backing the former National Bureau of Investigation deputy director’s call for the resignation of President Arroyo.
“Giving shelter to and assuring the security of (Ong) belongs to the pastoral solicitude of the Church but does not necessarily make it part-sharer of the complaint,” Cortez told reporters.
The bishop said Church officials had made representations with the authorities that Ong would not be harmed but must be given the due process guaranteed him by the law.
Cortez said Ong went to the seminary to speak with a bishop regarding the audiotapes which he said he had about the alleged rigging of the May 2004 elections.
“There are many allegations but this still needs proof. We should let the authorities look into this. However, the proper forum is not the seminary” Cortez added. (Additional input from Inquirer NewsService)
