Arroyo seeks Church help over blast amid ‘Gloria resign’ call

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Saturday ordered authorities to link up with Church leaders in tracking down the perpetrators of Friday’s explosion at the Glorietta mall in Makati City, which claimed the lives of at least nine people, and hurt over a hundred others. “Coordinate and cooperate with Church leaders…to identify the perpetrators (of the bombing)," Mrs Arroyo told authorities during a briefing on the bombing incident at the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City. President Arroyo issued the order amid calls by Catholic Church leaders for her to resign following corruption issues that marred her administration. As this developed, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr said the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) may take up the “Gloria Resign" option over the alleged bribery of lawmakers and local officials inside the Palace. Iñiguez, CBCP public affairs chairman, on Saturday said the CBCP would either call a special meeting on the matter, or discuss it at its next general assembly. “Waring nagiging seryoso lalo sa dumarating na reaksyon sa iba’t ibang sector. Either magkakaroon ng special meeting ang pwedeng pinagkatiwalaan ng CBCP na kumilos o sa susunod na general assembly (The CBCP notes serious reactions to the matter from various sectors. It will either call a special meeting to study the issue and act accordingly, or it will take up the matter in its next general assembly)," Iñiguez said in an interview on dzXL radio. Iñiguez was one of three Catholic bishops who at an ecumenical gathering in Quezon City Friday called for Mrs Arroyo’s resignation following a series of scandals. The scandals included the $329.48-million national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp. to a farm-lease agreement with China. Most recent was the alleged bribery of lawmakers and local government officials after they attended meetings in Malacañang last October 11. But Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on Friday dismissed calls by the three bishops for Mrs Arroyo to resign. The President herself has kept quiet on the matter. “Yan ang inaasahan nating magiging reaction. Sana maging reaction nila tingnang mabuti ang pinaratang namin at bigyan ang kanilang side para makita natin ang totoo (I expected that reaction from Malacañang. I wish it could have acted differently by airing its side so we can see the truth)," Iñiguez said. “Nararamdaman nating may malalaking development ang nangyayari sa ating bansa na umaapekto sa kawalan ng pagtiwala sa pangulo. Subaybayan natin at hanapin ang katotohanan at gawin ang marapat na reaksyon sa kapakanan ng ating bansa (We feel there are major developments brewing in our country that stem from the people’s loss of trust in Arroyo. Let us observe what happens, and then act accordingly)," he added. - GMANews.TV