Skip to content

Philippines Today

home of the Global Filipino

Menu
  • News Stories
  • Regional News
  • Business & Economy
  • Science & Technology
  • International
Menu

Overthrowing GMA not a platform — Joker

Posted on February 14, 2007

PNS — SENATOR Joker Arroyo yesterday denounced the United Opposition for quietly condoning attempts to overthrow the government and challenged them to offer a concrete platform of governance and reforms.

Senator Arroyo, one of two members of the Senate’s Wednesday Group that joined the administration ticket, said he turned down an Opposition offer to run under its banner because its leaders never condemned attempts to grab power by force.

“We in the administration ticket are united not to overthrow the government, not to destabilize, and ensure that the Constitution is followed. We support the economic progress of the President,” Senator Arroyo said shortly before he filed his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections.

“We have yet to hear from the opposition as to what they really want. They do not want to follow the line of succession and they have not condemned the destabilizations and attempts to overthrow the government. All of us would be happy if we received an answer from the opposition,” he said.

In issuing his challenge to the Opposition ticket, Senator Arroyo also addressed his two colleagues in the Wednesday Group—Senate President Manuel Villar and Senator Francis Pangilinan, who were adopted by the opposition.

The administration’s “unity ticket” includes three opposition politicians—reelecitionist Edgardo Angara and former Senators Vicente Sotto III and Tessie Aquino Oreta.

Oreta said she had the blessings of deposed President Joseph Estrada to join the administration slate.

Sotto, who supported President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s rival in the 2004 presidential elections, said the late candidate and movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. would have wanted unity and supported his decision to join the administration.

“I would like to thank the political leaders of the coalition parties for their warm reception,” Sotto said. “I hope people will see through the dust and support Team Unity.”

Angara, who brokered Poe’s presidential bid, also said it was time for the nation to move forward and leave the past behind.

Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson was unable to attend the launch of Team Unity, but he filed his certificate of candidacy after being released from Asian Hospital.

“The doctors released him with a clean bill of health. The only hindrance is the healing of the wound from the operation. Other than that, he is more than fit to campaign,” Singson’s son Ronald said in a text message.

On the last day for filing certificates of candidacy, President Arroyo urged politicians and voters to unite and turn the election into an opportunity to move the country forward.

“The May elections are about the future, not the past. Elections should be about new ideas, not old complaints. The fighting should be for a stronger nation, not just about fighting,” she said.

Members of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats in the House were in a fighting mood, and described Senator Arroyo’s assessment as “scathing and accurate.”

“The truth hurts. The people should not be misled by the opposition’s Grand Coalition because it is a grand conspiracy to fortify [Estrada’s] political clout, and not a coalition for the country’s progress,” Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenca said.

Bulacan Rep. Lorna Silverio added: “It’s not surprising why its members are leaving UNO and joining the administration coalition, which has a clear platform of good governance and national development.”

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Related

News Categories

  • Announcement (34)
  • Business & Economy (1,567)
  • Comment and Opinion (74)
    • Random Thoughts (18)
  • Current Issues (425)
    • Charter Change (1)
    • Election (228)
    • Population (6)
  • International (389)
  • Life In Japan (66)
    • Everything Japan (41)
  • Literary (34)
  • Miscellaneous (610)
  • News Stories (5,312)
  • OFW Corner (297)
  • Others (75)
  • People (408)
  • Press Releases (163)
  • Regional News (3,362)
  • Science and Technology (502)
  • Sports & Entertainment (287)

Latest News

  • BSP keeps policy rates anew December 17, 2015
  • NEDA cuts PHL additional rice import for 2016 by 25% December 17, 2015
  • DA cites serious implications of banning genetically modified products December 17, 2015
  • BBL is not yet dead – Drilon December 17, 2015
  • Comelec recognizes Duterte’s CoC for president December 17, 2015
  • NEDA chief sees 2015 growth at 6% despite typhoons December 17, 2015
  • House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016 December 17, 2015
  • Cebu-based developer invests PHP430M to build 709 townhouse units in north Cebu town December 17, 2015
  • City gov’t eyes P75-M income from economic enterprise December 17, 2015
  • Baguio City LGU presents traffic plan for holiday season December 17, 2015

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Science and Technology

  • DOST-ICTO targets 500,000 web-based workers from countryside by 2016
  • (Feature) STARBOOKS: A ‘makeover’ for librarians
  • Science, research reduce ‘cocolisap’ hotspot areas in PHL
  • Montejo to further improve PAGASA and empower scientists
  • 1st PPP in biomedical research produces knee replacement system fit for Asians

Press Releases

  • Microsoft to buy Nokia’s mobile devices business for 5.44-B euros
  • New World Bank climate change report should spur SEA and world leaders into action: Greenpeace
  • Save the Philippine Seas before it’s too late — Greenpeace
  • Palanca Awards’ last call for entries
  • Philippines joins the global call for Arctic protection

Comment and Opinion

  • Remembering the dead is a celebration of life
  • Killer earthquake unlikely to hit Panay Island in near future – analyst
  • It’s not just more fun to invest in the Philippines, it is also profitable, says President Aquino
  • How does one differentiate a tamaraw from a carabao?
  • Fun is not just about the place, it is also about the people, says DOT chief

OFW Corner

  • Ebola infection risk low in Croatia
  • Death toll rises to 41, over 100 still missing in landslide in India
  • Asbestos use in construction a labor hazard
  • 500,000 OFWs to benefit POEA on-line transactions — Baldoz
  • 25 distressed OFWs return home from Riyadh
©2025 Philippines Today | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme