PHILIPPINES: PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO REMAINS IN DEEP TROUBLE AT PROTESTS OVER ELECTION CHEATING ALLEGATIONS CONTINUE

Record ID: 443014

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO REMAINS IN DEEP TROUBLE AT PROTESTS OVER ELECTION CHEATING ALLEGATIONS CONTINUE
  • Date: 1st July 2005
  • Summary: (W2) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JUNE 30, 2005) (REUTERS) FOR DETAILED SHOTLIST ITEMS 1 - 11 SEE PROD 8623/05 TAPE 10701: 1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING IN TAGALOG "Gloria step down"/POSTERS WITH SLOGANS AGAINST GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTIVIST RENATO REYES SAYING: "She has to resign now or face more protests. Not even the exile of Mrs. Arroyo's husband and son will be enough to assuage the demands of the people for her to step down. It is high time that she listens to the demands of the people." 3. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE BY AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ARTHUR YAP 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) YAP SAYING: "In the event that I am cleared of the accusations, perception of a whitewash will abound. In the alternative, should there be a finding of probable cause, I risk embarrassing this government, the president, which is the last thing the government or she needs at this critical time." 5. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REX ROBLES, SECURITY ANALYST, SAYING: "Because she wants to stay in office, she has to endure this torture. But the other side is if she even begins to be candid about it, then there is no way out but resignation. Because it's a matter of public trust Betrayal of public trust is, you know, it is a question of honour." 7. ROBLES SPEAKING 8. SIGN SHOWING DOLLAR - PESO RATE AT 56.25 9. CLOSE UP OF DOLLAR BILLS 10. MONEY CHANGER 11. VARIOUS OF PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE FLOOR 2.19 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NESTOR AGUILAR, STOCK MARKET TRADER, SAYING: "We feel that the market investors will do a "wait and see". And see whether there will be a lot of people participating out in the streets. If the numbers increase I think the Philippine equity market will have to do a "wait and see" and most probably stay on the side." 2.40 13. NEWSPAPER VENDORS 14. NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING "Gloria, you are shameless! says Susan." 2.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVABCEBSP3UFUVKQGH70PAKS8OMX
  • Story Text: Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo remains
    in deep trouble as protests over election cheating
    allegations continue.




    Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
    remained in deep trouble on Thursday (June 30, 2005) as protests
    continued and a minister close to her administration
    resigned, triggering what many say would the start of a
    cabinet revamp.

    Hundreds of protesters gathered in the capital Manila
    with one message - for Arroyo's resignation.

    "She has to resign now or face more protests. Not even
    the exile of Mrs. Arroyo's husband and son will be enough
    to assuage the demands of the people for her to step down.

    It is high time that she listens to the demands of the
    people," said protester Renato Reyes.

    Arroyo's admission of making an error in judgement
    during last year's polls and the exile of her scandal-prone
    husband from the country seemed to have done little to
    appease the opposition or calm investors, who sold down the
    peso to a five-month low. Local media reported Arroyo would
    announce on Friday (July 1) a purge of cabinet ministers seen
    as close to her husband, Jose Miguel, including Agriculture
    Minister Arthur Yap.

    Yap confirmed on Thursday that he had resigned but said
    it had been his decision as tax evasion charges against him
    and talk he was close to Jose Miguel had made him
    "ineffective."
    "In the event that I am cleared of the accusations,
    perception of a whitewash will abound. In the alternative,
    should there be a finding of probable cause, I risk
    embarrassing this government, the president, which is the
    last thing the government or she needs at this critical
    time," Yap told a news conference.

    Yap maintains he is innocent of tax evasion and is not
    close to Arroyo's husband.

    Arroyo, facing possibly the worst crisis of her
    four-year presidency, has admitted talking to an election
    official during vote-counting for last year's national poll
    and then, on Wednesday (June 29), said her husband would
    leave the country.

    Analysts said she was trying to ease pressure on her
    administration from an opposition that has produced
    recordings which it says prove she cheated her way to
    election victory.

    Opposition lawmakers have also said the couple's sons
    Jose and Juan Miguel and brother-in-law Ignacio were
    involved in payoffs from gambling syndicates. Nothing has
    been proven yet.

    Analysts say Arroyo's apology and her husband's exile
    have produced more harm than good.

    "Because she wants to stay in office, she has to endure
    this torture. But the other side is if she even begins to
    be candid about it, then there is no way out but
    resignation. Because it's a matter of public trust.

    Betrayal of public trust is, you know, it is a question of
    honour," said security analyst Rex Robles, an ex-military
    officer.

    The peso extended falls to go as low as 56.25 to the
    dollar, not far from its record low of 56.45, as broad
    dollar strength and political concerns took their toll.

    Manila's main stock average was down 1.07 percent to
    1,924.23 in late trade.

    "We feel that the market investors will do a "wait and
    see". And see if there will be a lot of people
    participating out in the streets. If the numbers increase I
    think the Philippine equity market will have to do a "wait
    and see" and most probably stay on the side," said trader
    Nestor Aguilar.

    Roces, the actress widow of beaten presidential
    candidate Fernando Poe Jr, launched a verbal attack on
    Arroyo on Wednesday which some commentators said could make
    her a unifying figure for the opposition.

    Newspaper editorials have echoed the public sentiment
    against Arroyo.

    "Support for the president is eroding as quickly as her
    credibility," the Philippine Daily Inquirer said in an
    editorial.

    "Unfortunately for her, it seems that the court of
    public opinion is about ready to pronounce her guilty of
    stealing the presidency."
    The newspaper said that by admitting she spoke to an
    official but not that it was her voice on the recording,
    Arroyo had not "set the record straight" and had encouraged
    the opposition.

    Analysts see little chance of Arroyo quitting and say
    it will be very difficult for the opposition to impeach the
    president because of her majorities in both houses of
    Congress.

    The armed forces reaffirmed its crucial support for her
    this week and there have been no major defections among her
    allies.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register