Arroyo wants another 13-0

A day after the Supreme Court voted 13-0 to uphold the legitimacy of her administration, President Arroyo wants another 13-0 vote, this time for administration candidates in the senatorial elections.

Speaking during a political rally in Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental, the Pre-sident urged the people of Mindanao to vote 13-0 in favor of the senatorial candidates of the People Power Coalition (PPC) in the May 14 elections.

In asking for a straight vote for her administration, Mrs. Arroyo appealed for national unity even as she vowed to "seize the moment" and address the country’s mounting problems.

"The cry of the hour is to work as one," the President later said in a statement released at the Butuan City airport in Agusan del Norte.

"This is what our nation demands, this is what we will do. For all of us in go-vernment, the verdict should stir us and spur us to seize the moment. The country is facing a lot of problems and we don’t have the luxury of time," she added.

The President expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for voting to uphold her administration and deny the petition of deposed President Joseph Estrada to be granted immunity from suit.

The high tribunal released late Friday a 64-page ruling denying Estrada’s claim that he was president- on-leave while Mrs. Arroyo was president in an acting capacity only.

Estrada also asked the court to prevent the government from filing six plunder charges against him because, as president-on-leave, he was entitled to presidential immunity.

Nine SC justices voted to deny Estrada’s claim to immunity while four reserved their votes.

"The Supreme Court’s decision signals that once again we should hit the ground running. I will lead as I have been mandated to lead. And I vow that I will not allow politics and parochial concerns to deter and hinder us," the President said in the statement.

Mrs. Arroyo appeared in at least two PPC rallies in Northern Mindanao to help shore up the campaign of PPC’s senatorial bets after campaign managers admitted difficulties in the campaign.

The President spoke in a rally in Iligan City, where she spent several years as a child, to endorse the bids of re-electionist Senators Juan Flavier and Sergio Osmeña; former Speaker Manny Villar, Reps. Joker Arroyo, Wigberto Tañada and Ralph Recto and former Bulacan Gov. Roberto Pagdanganan.

Later, in Gingoog City, Mrs. Arroyo also endorsed the candidacies of re-electionist Senators Franklin Drilon and Ramon Magsaysay Jr.; former Sen. Ernesto Herrera, former economic planning Secretary Winnie Monsod, former internal revenue commissioner Liwayway Vinzons Chato and lawyer Francis Pangilinan.

"If it was 13-0 in the Supreme Court in my favor, it should also be 13-0 for the People Power Coalition bets for the Senate," the President said in fluent Cebuano.

Supreme Court ruling seen as a setback to PM coalition

While PPC bets are struggling to get their campaign together, the Puwersa ng Masa (PM) coalition associated with Estrada also faces financing difficulties amid fears that the SC’s 13-0 ruling would discourage further contributions to the party’s campaign funds.

"It’s going to hurt the opposition politically," said lawyer Leonardo de Vera of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

De Vera, a convenor of the Caucus of Lawyers for Estrada’s Abrupt Resignation (CLEAR), said PM contributors are likely to withdraw their support for the PM ticket because of the SC vote.

"Those who are financing the opposition party might now withhold financial support," De Vera said, noting that the logical reason behind financial support to the PM campaign is the prospect of getting favors from Estrada.

"But if they know that Estrada can’t go back as president anymore, then what good is it for them to continue funding it?" De Vera asked.

In previous campaign sorties, Estrada himself showed that he still enjoys wide support in Mindanao despite the misdeeds exposed during his impeachment trial.

Estrada has also repeatedly claimed that in 1998 he received the largest majority of 10 million in any Philippine presidential election after nine other presidential candidates split the 25 million voters who did not vote for him.

Mrs. Arroyo herself, who received 16 million votes for Vice President, received more votes than Estrada.

"If I were Erap I won’t take that risk," De Vera said. "It will mean a complete rejection of him." — With Cecille Suerte Felipe