What's cooking? Ramos, Drilon, Sotto meet in secret

**explorer** · January 4th, 2006 06:42 AM

What's cooking? Ramos, Drilon, Sotto meet in secret

Jan 04, 2006
Updated 02:25am (Mla time)
TJ Burgonio Michael Lim Ubac Cynthia D. Balana
Inquirer

WHAT'S cooking on the political front?

Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Senate President Franklin Drilon and former Senator Vicente Sotto III met clandestinely on the first working day of the year, fueling speculation that they were forming an alliance.

A source told the Inquirer that resolving the lingering political crisis, which continues to bedevil the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was the focus of the discussion.

"Look, there's no denying that the three have shadows (of political groups). There's something under their skin," said the source, stressing that Drilon represented former President Corazon Aquino, the Hyatt 10 and the Liberal Party, while Ramos was identified with Ms Arroyo, or at least the ruling Lakas-CMD party.

Aquino, Drilon, the Hyatt 10 -- a group of Cabinet officials who stepped down on July 8, 2005 -- called on Ms Arroyo to resign that same day.

While she has survived the worst political crisis of her political life, Ms Arroyo has yet to hurdle the tough task of putting to rest questions of her legitimacy, spawned by allegations that she stole the presidency in 2004.

Drilon yesterday admitted that he met with Ramos and Sotto, a friend of detained President Joseph Estrada's and of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.'s, somewhere private on January 2, but declined to divulge the agenda of the meeting.

"I confirm that former Senator Sotto, former President Fidel Ramos and I exchanged New Year pleasantries,'' Drilon said when asked by a reporter about his meeting with Ramos and Sotto.

Drilon was being eyed as "acting President'' in a transition government by a multisectoral group that would take over the Arroyo administration. Asked if Ramos made an enticing offer, he said: "We exchanged toasts over red wine.''

He stopped short of divulging the topic of the meeting.

"It is better to ask President Ramos. I'm not free to divulge it and I have no permission from President Ramos to divulge what we talked about,'' Drilon said.

"Out of respect for President Ramos, I do not want to make any comment in fairness to him. He is a senior statesman of our country and it is not appropriate for the Senate President to talk about what we talked about.''

Malacañang dismissed the meeting as just an "innocuous New Year's call."

"We are not worried at all. Ramos is Lakas chair emeritus,'' said presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio. "A high level of mutual respect, understanding and support exists between him and the President.''

"We're in touch with him,'' said Claudio, even though he and other Malacañang officials were caught flatfooted by the meeting.

Ramos refused to talk to the media about the meeting.

"Masakit daw ang ngipin (He has a toothache)," Ed Malay, Ramos' spokesperson, said after relaying the Inquirer's request for an interview to the former President.

Household staff said it was simply Ramos' way of saying "no comment."

The former President's declaration of support for Ms Arroyo in July was regarded as a key factor that saved her administration from collapse amid mounting calls for her resignation.

Ramos had proposed that the Constitution be amended to pave the way for a shift to a parliamentary system.

But two weeks ago, Ramos rejected as a "monumental blunder" a proposal by the Malacañang-constituted Consultative Commission to scrap elections in 2007. He threatened to withdraw support from Ms Arroyo unless she declared by New Year's Day that she was against the move.

Sotto also confirmed the meeting in Makati City but did not elaborate.

"Frank (Drilon) admitted it, so I guess I can't deny it any longer," he said.

Asked about the agenda of the meeting, or what they had achieved, Sotto said: "I'm not at liberty to say at this point. I'm not authorized to say what we talked about, or whether we agreed on something."

He said what was clear was that "we agreed not to talk about it in public just yet."

**theveed** · January 4th, 2006 12:24 PM

If it's known sa news, then I doubt if you can call it a "secret" meeting. These guys will know a more "secretive" way of meeting if they are to do so, don't you think? hehe

**konde** · January 4th, 2006 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by theveed

If it's known sa news, then I doubt if you can call it a "secret" meeting. These guys will know a more "secretive" way of meeting if they are to do so, don't you think? hehe

amen! nagpapapansin lang mga yan.

**konde** · January 4th, 2006 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by theveed

If it's known sa news, then I doubt if you can call it a "secret" meeting. These guys will know a more "secretive" way of meeting if they are to do so, don't you think? hehe

amen! nagpapapansin lang mga yan.

**basti08** · January 4th, 2006 12:43 PM

baka naman nagkamustahan lang...

**PLANET odyssey** · January 4th, 2006 12:46 PM

gagawa yata sila ng bagong EAT BULAGA silang tatlo ang Main Cast

**norman0410** · January 4th, 2006 01:00 PM

Baka naman me ambisyon mag guest sa Bulagaan portion ng Eat Bulaga si FVR and Drilon kaya sinabit pa tong si Sotto.

**erict** · January 4th, 2006 01:04 PM

binigyan ni ramos si gloria ng deadline 'till jan.1...walang action na nangyari..kaya nagmeeting sila ng jan.2. heheheh...

abangan ang susunod na kabanata!