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Philippine New President to Formally Take Over Power in 5 Days
Philippine new president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Saturday that she will formally take over the presidential palace in no less than five days.
Arroyo said she has to submit to a smooth though short transition period to give way for a graceful exit of the former Estrada administration, the local ABS-CBN news channel reported.
The former president has lined up five important meetings, including Cabinet meeting, a National Security Council meeting, and a Business meeting with diplomats, it said.
Arroyo was sworn in as the country's 14th president at Saturday noon by Hilario G. Davide Jr., Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who declared earlier that Estrada was no longer in office and that the presidency had passed to Arroyo.
Arroyo also reportedly said she might ask Philippine National Police chief Panfilo Lacson and Armed Forces chief of staff Angelo Reyes to stay at their posts, saying their decision to withdraw their support for former president Joseph Estrada had immensely contributed to the fall of the Estrada administration.
Estrada left the presidential palace for the southern city of Davao by boat soon after Arroyo was sworn in. Before leaving, Estrada said in a statement that he left the seat of the presidency for the sake of peace and in order to begin the healing of process of the nation.
He said he had strong and serious doubts about the legality and constitutionality of Arroyo's proclamation as president of the country.
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