MANILA, 6 November 2006 — Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz yesterday resigned amid controversy over his opposition to a government campaign to amend the Philippine Constitution through a method declared by the Supreme Court to be fraudulent.

According to a Department of National Defense (DND) statement, Cruz “tendered his irrevocable resignation in a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.”

Cruz was Arroyo’s chief presidential legal adviser before she named him defense secretary in August 2004.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye confirmed that Cruz has submitted a resignation letter, but said that Arroyo “is not taking any action.” He did not elaborate.

No reason was given for the resignation, but Cruz has been at the center of a controversy after he publicly opposed the government-backed “people’s initiative” campaign to shift to a parliamentary type of government from the current presidential form.

Last week, Cruz claimed that three fellow Cabinet secretaries wanted him out for his stand against the campaign, which has gathered 6.3 million signatures to call for a plebiscite on the proposed amendments to the 1987 constitution.

Cruz blasted the campaign as “hare-brained” and bound to cause more problems than solutions.

On Oct. 25, the Supreme Court junked the petition after finding it “defective” for failing to meet the requisites for a people’s initiative.

The high tribunal also expressed doubts about the integrity of the process by which the signatures were gathered, saying people were made to sign without being told what the proposed amendments really were.

Despite the decision, Arroyo said her government was not giving up the campaign, and called on lawmakers to continue the efforts through Congress.

Arroyo has been calling for a shift to a unicameral parliamentary style of government since 2004, saying the current bicameral presidential form was “poisoned” and hampering the country’s growth and development.

A senior defense official close to Cruz said the 53 year old, who was trying to depoliticize the armed forces, was fed up of politicking within Arroyo’s Cabinet.

“The secretary has grown tired and wanted to return to law practice. He was not asked to resign. He was not sacked,” the official said.

Cruz, popular among soldiers for his attempts to modernize the underfunded military, said his resignation would take effect on Nov. 30 after completing some paper work.

According to the DND statement, Cruz urged his successor to continue with reforms he initiated to professionalize and upgrade the capability of the armed forces.

“Despite leaving government service, he commits to maintain an abiding interest in ensuring good governance, upholding the rule of law and the pursuit of genuine reforms in our society,” the statement added.

‘Great Setback’

An opposition lawmaker at the House of Representatives described the resignation of Cruz as “a great setback for the Arroyo administration and a great loss to the country.”

Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico said he was saddened by Cruz’s resignation as the defense secretary was the only sane voice in the president’s official family.

He said Cruz not only stayed with the president through thick and thin but also provided her with sound legal advice when he was chief presidential legal adviser.

“He is unafraid to air his minority views especially on the people’s initiative issue. He is a true defender of the constitution and the rule of law,” Suplico said.

Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, also an opposition member, said Cruz may have been eased out to ensure the administration’s victory, with the help of the military, in the 2007 elections.

“Is it that with Nonong Cruz’s efforts to depoliticize the military establishment by removing their involvement in the electoral process, the administration will have a difficult time influencing the outcome of the ‘07 elections?” Remulla asked. “With him out of the way, the administration’s cheating machine may be well oiled once again.”

Remulla said Arroyo should find a replacement who is as “credible, competent and as trusted by the military establishment as Avelino Cruz.”

Arroyo’s spokesman said despite Cruz’s resignation, the campaign to change the constitution would go on.

“Charter change will always be a part of the permanent platform of President Arroyo,” Bunye said, stressing that changes would pave the way for a “more modern political structure” that would help bring economic prosperity to largely impoverished Filipinos.

“The desire of the people to change the generated system is evidently there. It is important to keep the fire burning,” he said. (Input from INS & Agencies)