GMA, Noli, Cabinet Forged Prexy Deal for Gloria Exit?

[chua_riwap]

Totoo kaya ito?




The Daily Tribune
Feb 13, 2008

GMA, Noli, Cabinet Forge Prexy Deal for Gloria Exit

Her days in Malacañang are numbered and her stay in the Palace may be over sooner than expected, as even President Arroyo’s Cabinet members are said to be plotting her “constitutional” ouster, forcing her removal from the presi-dency and installing Vice President Noli de Castro as president, by invoking Section 11, Paragraph 2 of Article Vll of the Constitution, a Palace insider who rejected the plan told the Tribune yesterday.

The insider also said this planned move is being done with the President’s blessings, as De Castro will be providing her protection from any and all charges in court — and maintain her “immunity” from suit, as well as ensure that the presidential couple will retain their ill-gotten wealth.

“This will happen when the situation becomes ‘intolerable’,” the insider said, adding that the Vice President has been given the assurance that, as he would only be serving two years of the term of Mrs. Arroyo, he can then, even as the incumbent, run for the presidency in 2010, and use up all the resources of government to win the race. “He stays on for 8 years as President. He won’t say no to such a deal.”

A good many Cabinet officials are also said to be in on the Gloria-Noli exit plan. The proviso that is to be invoked by Malacañang says: “Whenever a majority of all the members of the Cabinet transmit to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”

“This is the scenario being mapped out by the plotters if the ZTE-NBN controversy goes from bad to worse to worst, “ the source said.

The Cabinet members plotting the “constitutional ouster” of Mrs. Arroyo, have reportedly already talked with both Mrs. Arroyo and De Castro of the plans. He allegedly has given his nod to the move to remove the President, as this is with the President’s blessings.

Part of the deal, the Malacañang insider told the Tribune, is that Noli, once installed as President, is to retain the majority of the Cabinet members, to act as his Cabinet.

It has been noted by observers that De Castro, who never had a position on burning issues and has largely remained silent and mostly supportive of Mrs. Arroyo, has suddenly been issuing strong messages, part of which was his call for the Senate to continue with the ZTE National Broadband Network.

The coming out of Senate witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada, Jr. has reportedly alarmed a facton of the Cabinet members who now feel that the President is “feeding them to the Senate “dogs.”

“They said all she now cares about is for her own protection, and the others who were involved in the ZTE deal and who got their commissions, are being left to fend for themselves. They (Cabinet members) need her protection too,” another source, belonging to another Cabinet faction stressed, explaining the reason for the removal of Mrs. Arroyo through the constitutional proviso.

The Makati Business Club, which has been vocal in demanding the resignation of Mrs. Arroyo, was also said to be agreeable to having De Castro as the Acting President.

Mrs. Arroyo is said to fear a move by the bishops in supporting her ouster through this means.

But there are snags in the scenario, the second Palace insider told the Tribune, even as the Cabinet plotters and De Castro feel that these snags can be overcome, with cash doleouts.

While the Senate may not pose a problem for the Cabinet plotters, the House may, although all the Congress’ role in this is to merely accept the Cabinet’s decision.

However, there is still that constitutional factor giving the President the constitutional move to transmit a letter stating that no inability exists on her part, in essence belying her Cabinet’s claim, and the President reassumes the powers and duties.

But should a majority of the members of the Cabinet transmit within five days that the President is unable to discharge her duties, it will be the Senate and the House that shall decide the issue.

For that purpose, Congress shall convene, if it is not in session, within 48 hours, in accordance with Congress’ rules and without need for call.

Another Palace source, a sub-Cabinet level official, who was asked by the Tribune for confirmation, said that there was already also an “agreement of sorts” between Noli de Castro and Mrs. Arroyo for him to be installed in Malacañang—on the pledge that she will be protected after she steps out of the presidential office.

De Castro was claimed to have agreed to this.

For their alleged individual attempt to suppress and obstruct the determination of the truth in the $329.5-million ZTENBN mess. The MBC yesterday called on Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza and Commission on Higher Education Chairman Romulo Neri to resign, even as the President scrambled to appease the Catholic Church and other sectors with moves to show she was acting to stem corruption in her government.

In a press conference held at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati City, MBC Executive Director Alberto Lim, said Atienza and Neri should resign from their positions in government over each of their attempts to prevent Lozada from testifying on the NBN issue at the Senate and save themselves from further shame.

“Their (Atienza and Neri) protection, at any cost, of the interest of those in power renders them unworthy of the people’s trust,” Lim said.

When asked if the MBC would also call for the resignation of President Arroyo, the spokesman replied that this is a delicate matter, and that “it is a major step we’re not prepared to take yet at this time.”

But the MBC said the business sector is at present “nervous” of what is being generated by the scandal at the ZTE project, particularly its adverse affects on the country’s business climate.

But Malacañang yesterday junked the challenge posed by the MBC for the President to step down along with the rest of her Cabinet members involved in the ZTE mess.

Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye laughed off the statements of the MBC charging that the group is so “disunited” to even make the resignation call, as some of its members are allies of the President.

“You have watched in television the testimonies of DENR Secretary Atienza and in the past (Ched) chairman Romulo Neri and it showed that Secretary Atienza acted in the interest of witness Lozada and it was done in good faith I guess that explains our position. I think the call of the MBC as far as this two Cabinet members is concerned is unwarranted,” he said.

Bunye also slammed the MBC for calling on the resignation of President Arroyo, to cut her 2010 term.

“Its very clear that the President has a mandate to finish her term, which is in 2010. Our appeal to them is that their call is premature since its only 2008,” he said.

Deputy presidential spokesman Lorelei Fajardo echoed the same and defended Mrs. Arroyo over the ZTE scandal.

“There is no cause for the President to resign, the investigation has not directly linked the presidency in anyway or in any of the circumstances. It is sad however to see and hear some of our senators forcing Mr Lozada to link the President to the incident. It’s all innuendos and the habit of linking the President and is no cause for her to resign. Our President is mandated under the Constitution to finish her fixed term and that is what she intends to do. We wish that the opposition will just wait until 2010,” she said.

For his part, the Vice President said he is closely watching the unfolding of the ZTE issue and appealed to the public not to be swayed by emotions.

“Well just like our countrymen we’re looking for the truth but we hope that we should not be swayed by our emotion because it would be a mistake that we will regret in the future. We don’t need to be critical, we just need to observe what’s going to happen,” he said.

Asked if he is prepared to accept the presidency if Mrs. Arroyo vacates her position, De Castro was evasive.

“I cannot answer that because I will be the direct beneficiary, it’s up to you (the people). Let’s wait and see what would be our President’s actions, if ever there would be basis for her to vacate post. It’s really up to them (critics of the president) if we’re going to follow the Constitution. What can I do (but succeed her)? I am the Vice President,” he said.

De Castro said he is supportive of the call of the people to allow the Senate to continue its probe on ZTE deal.

[VtEC]

ganon.

alang deal deal dapat.kung dapat kasuhan kasuhan.kung napatunayang nagnakaw, bitay agad.NOBODY IS ABOVE the LAW.kandakuba nanga si juan dela cruz sa kawalanghiyaan nila bibigyan pa ng amnesty.sobra naman.ngayon kung pumayag kuno si noli aba dapat pati sya ikulong nadin.traitor ang mga ganyan na deal.

[FrankDrebin]

If its from Tribune then it must be bold.

[Monseratto]

Sa 'pinas, money always talk. Sa US, ganon din ginawa kay Richard Nixon pagkatapos ng Watergate Scandal. Binigyan siya ng full pardon ng VP Gerard Ford pagpagkatapos niya mag resign...

[vctradingcubao]

Puede na rin siguro?????!!!! Let's get this over so we could go on with our lives, and rebuild the nation. And let this be a lesson to whoever will take over. In the end, history will judge the Arroyo's, and that is justice afterall.

[Syuryuken]

magkasabwat sa krimen

[kinyo]

... this planned move is being done with the President’s blessings ...

GMA giving up power??????

owwwssss tell that to the marines! bwahahahaha

ang kapal ng mukha nya noh ... ngayon pa na malapit na 2010

yung isa ngang balita ... ni-re-revive ang cha-cha eh ... to keep her in power! .... hahahahhaa

[explorer]

well...pwedeng gawin ni kabayan kay pandak yung ginawa ni pandak kay JVD pag sya na presidente

[Syuryuken]

oo nga ang kapal ng mukha ni Gloria hindi niya basta-basta ibibigay kay Noli ang pwesto niya

[dbuzz]

malamang na dadanasin din ni gma ang dinanas ni erap pag wala na sya sa power. di kaya masahol pa. we'll just wait and see after magbitiw sya. surely di papayag yan. gma will use everything in her power to stay kasi alam nyang susunugin sya.