Ramos gives Arroyo until mid-2007 to quit

[explorer]

Ramos gives Arroyo until mid-2007 to quit
Says he still supports President, but …

First posted 01:15am (Mla time) Jan 10, 2006
By Cynthia D. Balana
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on page A1 of the Jan. 10, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

FORMER PRESIDENT Fidel V. Ramos yesterday gave President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo until June 30, 2007, to resign and decide whether she would run for parliament under an amended Constitution.

Speaking at a press conference in his office at the Export-Import Bank in Makati City, Ramos said he was willing to give the President another chance to respond to his second deadline for the sake of national unity.

Ramos had earlier given the President until Jan. 1 to make public her position on the no-election in 2007 proposal of the Consultative Commission (ConCom).

He said he was willing to accept a one-year delay in his original timeframe for the proposed shift from a presidential to a parliamentary system because he had not considered the impeachment factor then.

Ramos admitted that his support for the President was “still waning” and reiterated his call for Ms Arroyo to make the “ultimate sacrifice” of cutting short her term, which is to expire in 2010, in order to put in place the elements necessary for a parliamentary form of government.

“The President should resign by June 30, 2007, and declare her plans whether to continue in office … by running as member of parliament. Obviously, that’s a wish,” he said.

Asked about his next move if this wish were not granted, Ramos said, “Abangan na lang ninyo (You just wait). Don’t panic.”

He continued: “Don’t be scared of me. Who the hell am I? Relax lang kayo. We’re doing the work here in general for the welfare of the people and for our national security.”

Asked if he still supported the President at this point, Ramos said wryly, “Yes, but …”

The “but,” he said, will depend on how the President would respond to his second deadline.

“I’m not playing coy here. Malay ninyo naman (For all you know), I’m giving the President a chance. Abangan na lang ninyo (Just wait for it). You don’t build public opinion in one day,” he said, adding that his support for any President was always incidental to national interest.

Former President Joseph Estrada said in a statement that Ramos’ timeline for Ms Arroyo to resign in June 2007 was too long.

“The people have suffered much in the last five years as shown in recent surveys and for them to wait for 2007 is too much,” he said, warning that this could lead to a breakdown in peace and order.

“As I have said repeatedly before, a hungry stomach knows no law,” said Estrada, who was ousted by a “people power” uprising in 2000 and replaced by then Vice President Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ramos acknowledged that the President might not be taking his advice kindly.

“This is human nature. And I cannot control all the elements that go into her decision-making,” he said.

When reminded that he had been harsh on the President by giving her deadlines, Ramos insisted that he only did so twice.

First deadline not ignored

Contrary to the public perception that his first deadline was ignored, Ramos said the President had told him that she already had referred the ConCom report on the proposed amendments to the Constitution to Congress and would rather have the people decide on it.

He also said the President’s decision to convene the Council of State and the national directorate of the Lakas-NUCD party this month was a “sign” of a “definite reaction” from her.

He said he would ask the party during its forthcoming convention to come up with a position on whether to accept or reject the proposal for no elections in 2007.

On the need to cut short the President’s term, Ramos said this would allow Congress to act swiftly on the proposal to amend the Constitution, embark on an information campaign and hold a referendum.

Ramos warned the President against a possible revolt by the masses because of what he considered the widening gap between the poor and the rich.

He reminded the media that he had been sticking his neck out since he was a young soldier and that he wanted young leaders to do the same.

Ramos said during President Corazon Aquino’s administration, "I stuck my neck out and I supported her nine times and I’m talking about coup attempts... That was a shoot-to-kill situation. Who would want to go into that all over again?”

Ramos ruled out a possible military solution to the political crisis, saying it would be unfair to drag soldiers and policemen into the political controversy.

Ramos also said the President should not gloat about positive economic indicators like the GDP (gross national product) but should confront the issue of poverty right away as this bred communist rebels or suicide bombers.

On the Council of State, to be presided over by Ms Arroyo, Ramos said he hoped the meeting, which would include himself and Aquino, would yield positive results.

He said he expected the Arroyo administration to be saddled with the issues of political instability, a second impeachment complaint against the President in July and the worsening poverty of the people.

[nugundam93]

...for the sake of national unity...

my goodness. they oughtta stop na rin kung ganun.

[explorer]

Ramos to Arroyo: Sacrifice, resign by 2007

Jan 09, 2006
Updated 06:44pm (Mla time)

Agence France-Presse

FORMER president Fidel Ramos has called on the incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make a "sacrifice" and step down by 2007 even as he reaffirms his support for her, saying he has rejected offers by her political opponents to join them.

Ramos answered "yes" when asked in a press conference on Monday if he still supported Arroyo, but added that he remained opposed to suggestions that the planned 2007 congressional elections be scrapped.

That proposal was drafted by a consultative body commissioned by Arroyo to study ways in coming up with a new Constitution.

The advisory called for a five-year transition to a parliamentary system, with the terms of members of the Senate and House of Representatives extended beyond 2007 to enable them to constitute an interim unicameral parliament.

But Ramos said a better solution would be for Arroyo to step down by 2007 and "declare her intentions" to relinquish power and instead join the race for parliament.

"This is the sacrifice we are asking" of her, Ramos said, stressing that it would erase any questions on her credibility.

Ramos, who ruled the country from 1992 to 1998 and was a key player in the "People Power" revolt that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos nearly 20 years ago, also disclosed that Arroyo's opponents had been trying to get him to switch sides since July last year.

He said the latest attempt was last week when two Arroyo opponents tried to entice him to abandon the President.

The opposition members asked him if he was willing to sign an agreement with former presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada in a bid to force Arroyo out of office, Ramos said.

He identified the two as Senate President Franklin Drilon, who last year called on Arroyo to step down over allegations she stole the May 2004 vote, and ex-senator Vicente Sotto III.

"The basic question was whether I was willing to join a covenant with ex-presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada," said the former general who remains an influential political figure in the Philippines.

"I said no way. I will not join the opposition," Ramos said.

Arroyo's popularity has plunged to record lows in recent months after she survived an impeachment bid in Congress in September. That was triggered by audiotapes released publicly in which Arroyo could allegedly be heard trying to cheat in the 2004 presidential election.

She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but issued a televised public apology for her "lapse in judgement" in calling an elections official.

Arroyo's government has also suffered from perceptions of corruption and has been forced to deny persistent rumors of destabilization plots and military takeovers.

In 2003, Arroyo survived a military rebellion by some 300 officers and men who called on her to step down. One of the ringleaders of that rebellion escaped from custody recently and in a clandestine meeting with reporters said he would enter into alliances with other parties to topple Arroyo.

[konde]

everybody in this country seems to be imposing deadlines! can a former president, without a solid backing of the people, do that to an incumbent president?

our country is going to the dogs. god help us all!

[baiskee]

anak ng tipaklong....

takutan na lang ba to? kung sino una matakot, talo.

[empy]

um, pasensya na po dahil madalang ang news about the RP dito sa amerika...

...but i didn't hear the news about Fidel Ramos getting elected supreme being and god of the Philippines.

[BlueBimmer]

malakas kasi ata impluwensya ni Ramos sa AFP, kaya lakas loob nya bumigay ng ultimatum kay Gloria

[number001]

why can't mr tabako just disappear from the political scene, unless he wants the presidential seat as bad as Drilon, Guingona, Pimentel, etc.

Imo, it is only common courtesy for former head of state to disappear into the background and not make too much pointless chest-thumping noise that will yet again scare the foreign investors. In the US, former presidents just disappear and pursue other non-politically motivated endeavors.

Just when the Peso is strengthening, mr. tabako comes out to ruin everything! Crab mentality at its best!

[XTO]

naks! tlaga si fvr oh, me gusto na namang mangyari

[basti08]

until 2007 to quit?...tapos ano sya palit?

i dont like GMA, pero patapos na lang natin sya...kasi mas nagkakagulo pag-en entertainin natin yang mga mahilig manggulo eh...

[explorer]

manok ni fvr...

[explorer]

still very few people have a deep understanding of the issue...most are still pointing ramos as interested to be a president again....do you think ramos really wants to go back to malacanang?

[KCboy]

ramos might want to go back, but if not, he wants yung manok nya ang nakapwesto para pati mga apo nya...secured na...ganun naman dto sa pinas....sana mid 06 para umalis na si gma.

[Canwe?]

not going to happen. That's my take on it. It's jsut one of those press release to make people a little bit happy and hopeful.Ramos runs the country with his puppet Arroyo!!!

[trackers888]

Ramos to Gloria?
What happening to our country?
Kailan pa kaya tayo mag mamature?

[chua_riwap]

Langya, kala ko naman may bago between GMA and FVR......luma na pala!

[oldblue]

grabe naman yan c ramos

[empy]

on the right...is it:

[silverbx986]

hhmmm.... kahawig nga. wala nga lang eyeglass. :bwahaha: