Statements of support for Aquino trickle in
Expressions of support for President Benigno Aquino III amid calls for his resignation are trickling in.
At the House of Representatives, a party-list group said Mr. Aquino should be allowed to finish his term because his resignation would be bad for the economy.
“I believe that since we are in a presidential form of government, it is not good for our democracy not to let the President finish his term,” said Rep. Conrado Estrella III, of the Abono party-list group, in a statement.
He said the President should be allowed to finish his term “for the sake of the country’s stability.”
“Otherwise, we should shift to parliamentary form of government, where the prime minister and his Cabinet can be easily removed through a vote of no confidence,” he added.
Too late
Estrella deplored the demand for the President to step down a few months before his term ends.
Militant groups and critics of the Aquino administration are calling for Mr. Aquino’s resignation amid allegations that he mishandled the operation against international terrorist Marwan that led to the slaughter of 44 police commandos.
“I strongly urge the country’s leaders—both in the administration and the opposition—to continue the path of peace,” said Estrella.
In Eastern Samar, the provincial board passed a resolution on Feb. 25 expressing full support to Mr. Aquino.
The board said it is rejecting calls for the President to resign.
Good to Samareños
Vice Gov. Marcelo Ferdinand Picardal, who presides over the board, said the board’s support for Mr. Aquino was not surprising since Mr. Aquino “has been good to our province.”
In the North, the archdiocese of Tuguegarao, which serves the Cagayan Valley region, has rejected calls for Church leaders to join the movement to force Mr. Aquino to resign.
Fr. Gary Agcaoili, archdiocese spokesperson, said the good governance programs of the Aquino administration would be useless if the President resigns.
“All government leaders make mistakes, but President Aquino’s resignation is not the solution,” said Agcaoili.
He said the cause of the crisis, the deaths of the 44 police commandos, should be investigated fully to “true and swift justice” are given to the policemen’s families.
No benefits
The archdiocese also objected to a growing outcry to mount an all-out-war against the Moro rebels who were blamed for the death of the policemen.
Agcaoili said the Church believes that a peace agreement with Moro rebels remains to be the long-term solution to the Mindanao conflict.With reports by Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas and Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon
