Critics unsurprised over Dureza's prayer for '2010 and beyond'

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang critics were not surprised over a Cabinet official's controversial prayer asking God to let President Arroyo run the country until 2010 "and who knows, perhaps even beyond." While a civil society spokeswoman claimed the prayer by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza was a trial balloon, a Catholic bishop said it signals a brazen bid for Charter change. "I don't think parang nag-slip of the tongue si Dureza. Yan ang sinasabi namin noon pa ... Talagang may plano ang palasyo manatiling permanente riyan si Arroyo. Kung ikaw maraming kasong naghihntay sa iyo pagkatapos ng termino mo, what would be your best way of escaping that (I don't think it was a simple slip of the tongue by Dureza. That's what we've been saying long ago. If you have so many charges waiting for you once your term ends, what's the best way to avoid that other than stay indefinitely in power)?" Leah Navarro, spokeswoman of Stop Cha-Cha Coalition and the Black and White Movement, said in an interview on dzXL radio. She said Filipinos should even be thankful for Dureza for inadvertently exposing such plans. "Pasalamat kami kay Sec. Dureza at inilantad niya (We thank Dureza for that)," she said. But she added it is also possible the prayer smacked of a trial balloon, where the Palace will push through with its Charter change plans if people do not react negatively to it. Dureza, in his opening prayer at the Cabinet meeting in Malacañang Tuesday, asked for forbearance for Arroyo that she may lead the country until her term ends in 2010. But when he added, "and who knows, perhaps even beyond," cameras caught Arroyo's expression change, glaring at Dureza and muttering "Oh my God" before covering her face with her hands. Arroyo then asked media covering the event to treat the prayer "off the record." But media came out with the story, noting an off-the-record request is usually made before the event. Dureza, for his part, tried to laugh off the incident, saying they had a "good laugh" and that he had meant the prayer for Arroyo beyond 2010 was for her to serve in a private capacity. On the other hand, Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop Oscar Cruz said Dureza's prayer betrayed Palace's Charter-change plans, only this time going to a more brazen stage. "Ang Cha-cha ay on, wala nang camouflage ‘yan. Wala nang pakunwa-kunwari pa. Ang nakarating sa akin, talagang open yan (Charter change is on. No more hiding it; no more pretensions. It will now be open)," Cruz said in a separate interview. Cruz also said the supplication jibed with the recent coup in the Senate where administration ally Juan Ponce Enrile emerged as Senate President. Enrile had said he will not block discussions on Charter change, but opposition senators in the majority bloc said they would block such moves. "Nakahanda ang Kongreso, nakahanda ang Senado dahil nagpalit ng liderato ng Senado. (Enrile) he is open to Charter change (Both houses of Congress are ready, now with the Senate having a leader who is open to Charter change)," Cruz said. - GMANews.TV