Cory, Erap attend massive rally for truth, Arroyo ouster

MANILA, Philippines - As they earlier promised, former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada both attended the huge interfaith rally in Makati City that saw the gathering of numerous officials of the church, civil society, militant groups and the political opposition. GMA's Flash Report said Aquino and Estrada were seen at the rally event. While in attendance, earlier reports said both former presidents are not expected to address the growing crowd at Ayala Avenue. The rally includes left-leaning organizations, political personalities and students and faculty members of the University of Makati (UMAK) who are calling for the resignation President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and some church leaders calling on government executives to 'tell the truth' about the controversial $329.48-million national broadband (NBN) network deal with China's ZTE Corp. The students and faculty members, who joined the interfaith rally at the Ninoy Aquino monument in Makati, expressed their "whole-hearted support to star witness Rodolfo Jun Lozada. The television report said Estrada arrived at the rally site shortly past 4 p.m., after marching all the way from Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia Avenue) alongside his supporters led by the People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP). The report showed a footage showing Estrada wiping sweat from his face with a handkerchief while sitting with other prominent opposition figures, including Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. Also aired were footage taken from building tops, showing rallyists crowding the rally site and occupying the Ayala Avenue-Paseo de Roxas intersection and both lanes of Ayala Avenue extending to both directions. - GMANews.TV