Religious leaders air demand: Arroyo resign
10/19/2007 | 04:45 PM
A group led by Catholic bishops and leaders of various religious sects demanded the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Friday to avert a “total collapse of the government and national chaos" brought by numerous scandals now rocking the administration.
Calling themselves the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME), the group claimed that the President has committed a culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to issues hounding her.
In reaction, Malacañang said the quit call for Mrs Arroyo “is not the view of the majority of the members of the Catholic community."
“President Arroyo remains to be the duly elected and legitimate President of the Republic and she is resolved to continue working for economic progress until the end of her term in 2010," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.
The KME is composed of Caloocan City Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias, Bishop Julio Labayen, Bishop Dan Balais of the Philippine for Jesus Movement (PJM), Father Rudy Abao, Pastor Domeng Rivera of the Jesus is Lord (JIL), former Supreme Court Justice Santiago Kapunan and lawyer Lorna Kapunan.
In a statement, KME members said it is time for people to speak up as one voice and ask Mrs Arroyo to step down.
Among the pressing issues cited by the group are the controversial ZTE-NBN contract, CyberEd project, North Rail project, China farm deal and the alleged payoff to administration allies last October 11 at Malacañang.
"Now, Malacañang is doing everything to cover up the mess but in the process is further revealing itself as not only morally bankrupt but totally bereft of any moral or reasonable basis to govern," the statement released by the group further said.
They added that the President and all other concerned officials should step down for outright surrender of national sovereignty and territorial integrity in deals made with China and Japan and the continuing presence of US soldiers in the Philippines.
KME likewise threw its support for the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines in its call for greater transparency and honesty in the administration.
"If a regime is morally bankrupt, has propensity for falsehoods and repeatedly lies with impunity, there is no other alternative for the people but to demand that the leader, the chief executive, commander in chief, the president, step down and resign," the group added.
Bunye said the cases raised by the bishops – including the ZTE deal, Cyber Education Project and Northrail Project – “have been and are being taken up already in the courts and in different official fora." - GMANews.TV
Calling themselves the Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME), the group claimed that the President has committed a culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to issues hounding her.
In reaction, Malacañang said the quit call for Mrs Arroyo “is not the view of the majority of the members of the Catholic community."
“President Arroyo remains to be the duly elected and legitimate President of the Republic and she is resolved to continue working for economic progress until the end of her term in 2010," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.
The KME is composed of Caloocan City Bishop Deogracias Yniguez, Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias, Bishop Julio Labayen, Bishop Dan Balais of the Philippine for Jesus Movement (PJM), Father Rudy Abao, Pastor Domeng Rivera of the Jesus is Lord (JIL), former Supreme Court Justice Santiago Kapunan and lawyer Lorna Kapunan.
In a statement, KME members said it is time for people to speak up as one voice and ask Mrs Arroyo to step down.
Among the pressing issues cited by the group are the controversial ZTE-NBN contract, CyberEd project, North Rail project, China farm deal and the alleged payoff to administration allies last October 11 at Malacañang.
"Now, Malacañang is doing everything to cover up the mess but in the process is further revealing itself as not only morally bankrupt but totally bereft of any moral or reasonable basis to govern," the statement released by the group further said.
They added that the President and all other concerned officials should step down for outright surrender of national sovereignty and territorial integrity in deals made with China and Japan and the continuing presence of US soldiers in the Philippines.
KME likewise threw its support for the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines in its call for greater transparency and honesty in the administration.
"If a regime is morally bankrupt, has propensity for falsehoods and repeatedly lies with impunity, there is no other alternative for the people but to demand that the leader, the chief executive, commander in chief, the president, step down and resign," the group added.
Bunye said the cases raised by the bishops – including the ZTE deal, Cyber Education Project and Northrail Project – “have been and are being taken up already in the courts and in different official fora." - GMANews.TV
