PM to GMA: Say you will step down

CEBU, Philippines - The Partido ng Manggagawa is calling on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to categorically declare that she is stepping down from power once her term ends in 2010 and that she will not push for a Constituent Assembly.

PM– Cebu spokesperson Dennis Derige said it is not too late for Arroyo to pay “true respects” to the late president Corazon Aquino and GMA has two weeks within which to make the declaration before August 21, the date of the assassination of former Senator Ninoy Aquino.

“It is time for her to order a stop to con-ass and declare that she will not extend her term. She still has two weeks to do so until the anniversary of Ninoy’s assassination on August 21 that may be the next spontaneous expression of the people’s outrage,” Derige said.

Derige the massive crowd that joined Aquino’s funeral was not simply expressing grief but was conveying support for her fight against dictatorship as shown by the “Laban” sign.

The “Laban” sign became a symbol of the struggle against the fascist Marcos and it has now assumed meaning as opposition against the threat of a new tyranny.

Gloria Arroyo’s spokespersons are denying that Malacañang is threatened of a public outrage but Deriga said that for the first time since Edsa Tres, the Arroyo has reason to be afraid of the “spontaneous masses.”

Derige further said declaring that she would step down from office next year should have been the most important part of Arroyo’s SONA, which she merely glossed over by saying that her term ends in 2010. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)