Press Release
January 15, 2006
PIMENTEL SAYS GMA CANNOT SHARE POWER ON BASIS OF STOLEN POLL VICTORY
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today
said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should stop insisting on
staying in office until 2010 on the basis of a spurious electoral
victory in 2004.
Pimentel said Mrs. Arroyo does not deserve to remain in office any
day longer since she stole the presidency through massive electoral
fraud that is supported by incontrovertible documentary and
testimonial evidence. He said Malacañang
has been trying to suppress
such evidence through its dictatorial control over the House of
Representatives and Commission on Elections and its gag order on
officials of the executive branch.
He also blasted the proposal of Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. for a
French-style transition parliamentary government under which Mrs.
Arroyo would remain president with undiminished powers but share
some of the powers with a prime minister.
De Venecias formula for sharing of powers is unacceptable. To
share stolen power is like sharing stolen goods. And it makes one as
guilty as the original thief, he said.
Pimentel said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should heed the
public clamor for her to step down now and prepare her exit plan,
instead of concocting trickeries to hang on to her office such as a
so-called three-year transition period from presidential to
parliamentary system of government.
He said even Mrs. Arroyos staunch ally and senior adviser, former
President Fidel V. Ramos, apparently doubts the legitimacy of the
Arroyo presidency. He said this is clearly indicated by Ramos
insistence on shortening the Presidents term but stepping down in
mid-2007, thereby giving her a graceful exit.
Mr. Ramos support may be one of the reasons for preventing the
collapse of the Arroyo presidency. But its obvious that the former
president is worried that the country will remain mired in political
instability and economic shambles for as long as Mrs. Arroyo stays
in power because of her lack of credibility and moral authority to
govern, Pimentel said.
The lone senator from Mindanao also criticized the President and
leaders of the ruling Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats for playing
deaf and dumb to the sentiments of the Filipino people over the
issue of cutting short Arroyos term and of Charter-Change.
Pimentel cited the findings of the fourth quarter survey (Nov.
27-Dec. 4) of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showing that 54
percent Filipinos want President Arroyo to step down before 2010 and
she should have resigned in 2005.
The survey also indicated that 54 percent of Filipinos would support
Charter Change provided that Mrs. Arroyo should quit first.
The opposition senator said the President and her partymates
blatant disregard for the public sentiments betrays their arrogance
and determination to perpetuate themselves in power no matter what
it costs. |