Manila (AsiaNews) – The Philippine armed forces support the government led by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, despite charges of corruption against her and daily protests held the length and breadth of the country demanding her resignation. It was confirmed yesterday by military chiefs who marched alongside soldiers through the streets of the capital.
Avelino Razon, national police chief, says: “We are here to say that these reports and text messages are untrue, that they are completely false, since we in the police and the military are solid, united behind the government”. The declaration refers to the numerous messages texted to cell phones throughout the country, asking for people’s support of the army in its fight against Arroyo.
This is the fourth attempt in 4 years, to overturn Arroyo’s government: the mandate expires in 2010, but the opposition charges the president of having handed out kickbacks, bought votes and having used violence during the campaign which led to her re-election in 2005. Since the beginning of the month, over 10 thousand people have demonstrated on the streets of Manila demanding the governments resignation, and since then every day thousands more across the country march, repeating the request.
The highly influential Catholic Church, so far has taken no position: the bishops in a statement published mid month, ask “that the government clarify their guidelines”, but they do not support the anti-Arroyo protests. A missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions based in Zamboanga, Fr. Giulio Mariani, explains to AsiaNews that “the bishops are asking for common action of prayer and discernment, not the fall of the government”.
This is why continues Fr. Mariani, “a prayer vigil s scheduled for the 29th in schools throughout the diocese. Our bishop has asked us to transform it into a non-political ‘assembly’”.