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Filipino Public Urged to Ensure Uninterrupted Impeachment Trial
With only a few days to go before the start of the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, the Philippine government called on the people Monday to do their part in ensuring that the process is not disrupted.
National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre told reporters that this call also extends to political opposition which he hopes would make sure that its protest actions remain peaceful.
"We are hopeful that the opposition will also keep the rally really peaceful as before. We like to start the proceedings of the impeachment process and we'll not contribute to the crisis in that sense," Aguirre said.
Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, on his part, expressed the hope anew that the Senate would speed up the impeachment trial.
He said the results of a recent survey, in which both the president and his political opponents received low ratings, show that no one benefits from the protracted political crisis.
"Every one involved in this issue has falling ratings, including some of our senators. This process is not doing anybody any good. The sooner we finish with this the better for everyone," Zamora said.
He noted that a recent survey of Pulse Asia showed that the President's ratings fell slightly, while those of his predecessors Fidel Ramos and Corazon Aquino, dropped even lower.
The approval ratings of Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin dropped sharply in the survey, Zamora said.
Aquino, Ramos, Arroyo and Sin have been calling on President Estrada to resign from office, even though an impeachment trial against him has already begun in the Senate.
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