Arroyo urges 4-party summit for clean May 2007 elections

(Update) Saying her administration was on "one track" with bishops, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday proposed the conduct of an elections summit with the Catholic Church and government agencies to ensure "clean and peaceful elections" in May. Mrs Arroyo suggested that the affair be attended by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Philippine National Police as well as private election watchdogs. "The administration will continue to work with all institutions and sectors to see that this happens," the President said in a statement. The move would supposedly allow all parties to map out a "comprehensive plan on stabilizing election hotspots" all over the country. President Arroyo, who has been hounded by allegations of election fraud, also expressed optimism that the consolidated effort would help ensure transparency and make election monitoring easier. "We call on candidates from all sides to come together in fair and friendly terms and assert their collective political maturity, and bolster their platforms by pro-poor and development plans instead of the usual dirty politics," she said. Mrs Arroyo added that, "Political stability must stand alongside economic strength to seal the competitiveness of the Philippines and its momentum in the world arena." She said illegal disbursements by incumbent officials would also be more closely scrutinized even as she assured that her administration will "police its own ranks" to prevent any irregularity of the Election Code. The CBCP said in its pastoral letter that it was high time for the Filipinos to elections tainted by fraud and violence. It said Filipinos must "come together once more and organize ourselves more effectively than we have done in the past to make this year's elections credible and as free of violence as possible." Bishops denied discussing their chosen politicians for the May polls, saying they have to wait for all the certificates of candidacy to come in. However, they added that some dioceses already called upon their flock to vote for candidates who were pro-life and had strong campaigns against gambling. "Many of our current political problems which have hindered full economic development and social justice, especially for the poor, can be traced to unresolved questions concerning the conduct of past elections. As a nation we cannot afford yet another controversial electoral exercise that further aggravates social distrust and hopelessness," CBCP president Angel Lagdameo said as he read excerpts from the letter. Opposition leaders have alleged that President Arroyo was caught on tape discussing with former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano plotting to ensure a one million vote lead against her closest rival, the late actor-politician Fernando Poe Jr. The President has also been accused of manipulating Philhealth and Department of Agriculture (DA) funds, among others, to benefit her candidacy. Malacañang, however, has consistently denied such allegations and has offered reconciliation with its critics. Last week, the PNP listed 600 cities and municipalities as election "hotspots" due to insurgent threats and rival political groups. No less than 49 cities and municipalities were regarded as "election areas of immediate concern," eight of which are in Region V or the Bicol region. Meanwhile, 564 other cities and municipalities were categorized by the PNP as "election areas of concern." - GMANews.TV