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Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Friday evening she would not step down, abruptly rejecting calls for her resignation by former President Cory Aquino and 10 cabinet members who resigned en masse in protest.
Arroyo dared her critics to bring "their grievances" against her to Congress where she would submit herself to due process, in reference to possible impeachment measures against her.
In a brief televised statement Friday evening, Arroyo said she would also announce her new cabinet within the next two days and announced the officers-in-charge for the departments vacated by her officials who tendered their irrevocable resignations.
"This is democracy that's held together by the Constitution and the rule of law. The Philippines has fallen into a dangerous pattern where the answer to every crisis is to subvert due process rather than work within the system. This must stop," the president said.
Arroyo particularly addressed former President Corazon Aquino, who asked her to make one great sacrifice for the nation and resign.
"I was duly elected to uphold the Constitution and ensure that the institutions of the nation will strengthen and not weaken. With all due respect to former president Cory (Corazon) Aquino and others, I say that their actions cost deep and gravest harm to the nation because they undermine our democratic principles and the very foundation of our Constitution," she said.
"By once again by subverting rule of law and perpetrating a system that's broken, this would remain broken until fundamental reforms are put in place", she added.
"As former president Aquino is well aware, the president is charged by nation to defend our hard-won democracy at all cost. To those who have forgotten this, I say, take your grievances to Congress. I'm very willing to submit due process as called for by our Constitution," Arroyo said.
She said she will continue to focus on "people's business -- getting the economy moving and creating a better quality of life for our people".
The President said her new team will be made up of individuals whose committed to the nation, and the democratic principles will be beyond doubt.
"This is the team that will work with me to move away from political bickering, to do what people of Philippines expect their leaders to do, and that is to get our economy moving and ensure the delivery of essential services including healthcare, education and security to all parts of the country," she said.
Executive Secretary Ricardo Ermita also said the president would announce the composition of her new cabinet soon in order not to interrupt governance.
"The president said she will not resign. The president knows she is there by the mandate of the people. On the issue whether she won fair and square - we know she won the elections," he said.
Led by former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, ten key cabinet members who virtually made up Arroyo's economic team urged the president to quit after announcing their resignation.
The mass resignation came after Arroyo Thursday asked her entire cabinet to resign before she fundamentally reshaped the political institutions of the country.
Rumors have circulated that some former cabinet members wanted to replace Arroyo with Vice President Noli de Castro in a bloodless palace coup in collaboration with Senate President Franklin Drilon, who also announced his break with Arroyo Friday.
Arroyo still enjoys support of most provincial governors, some of whom have vowed to secede from Manila if the president is ousted by the opposition.
(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2005)
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