Outpouring of support for Cory a reminder for Arroyo to behave, says Binay

The outpouring of public support for the late former President Corazon Aquino is a warning sign for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her allies not to ram Charter change down Filipinos' throats, United Opposition (Uno) president and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said Wednesday. But a Palace official saw it differently, saying Mrs. Aquino's death as a call for national unity and that the administration is willing to reconcile with its political foes. Binay, a close friend and ally of Mrs. Aquino, said the show of people power at Mrs. Aquino's "people's funeral" signifies that the people are capable of staging a political upheaval if Mrs. Arroyo insists on clinging to power beyond 2010. "Cory’s death has awakened the people. She has bridged the generation that took part in EDSA 1 with the younger generation who are now aware that the freedom they enjoy was earned through struggle against a dictatorship," he said in an article posted on the Makati City Web portal. "I am certain that if Mrs. Arroyo pushes through with her selfish agenda, the spirit of Cory Aquino will rally the people," he added. Binay said that during the Marcos regime in 1986, Mrs. Aquino stood up against the martial law regime, fought for clean and honest elections. After EDSA-1 toppled the dictatorship, Mrs. Aquino stood for morality and transparency in government when she became president, he added. In 2005, Mrs. Aquino openly called for the resignation of Mrs. Arroyo over the “Hello Garci" scandal involving alleged fraud in the 2004 presidential elections. She also led protest actions against the declaration of a state of emergency in January 2006 and the NBN-ZTE scandal in early 2008. "The younger generation got a crash course in contemporary history. In a span of four days, they learned how difficult life was under a dictatorship, and how our freedom was earned with the sacrifice of so many lives, among them Cory’s husband Ninoy Aquino," Binay said. "By her example, Cory showed the people the importance of standing up against an oppressive, corrupt and power hungry regime. She showed us that even as a private citizen, we can and should stand up for what is right," he added. Call for unity In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the death of Mrs. Aquino should be a signal for all Filipinos to unite and set aside political agenda. A Palace statement said Remonde called for unity, which he said could ease the political tension especially considering that the 2010 elections is just around the corner. Less political tension according to him would allow Mrs. Arroyo to finish her programs in energy, education and environment before her term ends next year, he added. He described the predawn visit of Mrs. Arroyo to the wake of Mrs. Aquino as "a triumph of goodwill against ill-will." The Aquino family has turned down the Arroyo administration’s offer to give Mrs. Aquino a state funeral, saying they were more comfortable with a private funeral. Nonetheless, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) accorded the former president all the necessary honors as mandated by law. - GMANews.TV