Skip to main contentdfsdf

Home/ stevenwarran's Library/ Notes/ January 12, 2001, Sun Star, Gloria promises no purge if Estrada is ousted,

January 12, 2001, Sun Star, Gloria promises no purge if Estrada is ousted,

from web site

January 12, 2001, Sun Star, Gloria promises no purge if Estrada is ousted,

MANILA -- Vice President Gloria Arroyo Thursday said she would retain many of the members of the Cabinet of President Estrada if the impeached incumbent is convicted and driven from office.

She said restoring business confidence and re-starting the peace process with Muslim rebel groups in the southern Philippines would be among her first priorities.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel announced this week that the Senate would issue its verdict on Feb. 12 in Estrada's trial for bribery, corruption, betrayal of public trust and violation of the Constitution. The trial began on Dec. 7.

Asked at a foreign correspondents' forum what she would do if she had to take over from Mr. Estrada, Arroyo said "the first meeting will be a Cabinet meeting. There will be some, maybe half a dozen new appointments announced but the rest of the cabinet will be asked to stay on."

Arroyo would serve out the remaining three years of Mr. Estrada's six-year term if the Senate finds him unfit to remain in office.

"It is not going to be a sweeping immediate purge," Arroyo said without specifying who would be replaced or retained.

Arroyo, who now heads an opposition coalition seeking the President's ouster, said she would also call a dialogue with the business community to restore investor confidence that has been bruised by corruption and mismanagement allegations against the President.

She would also meet with labor and farmers to ensure these sectors would not be marginalized.

"Hopefully, through the dialogue, there will be healing process" following months of political tensions over whether Estrada should step down or not, she said.

Arroyo, an economist and former senator, said her administration would start "a new politics" of party programs rather than the Philippine tradition where politics is dominated by personalities and patronage and elected officials switch to whichever party can benefit them best. (From AFP)

Would you like to comment?

Join Diigo for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.

stevenwarran

Saved by stevenwarran

on Dec 21, 12