GMA blames Estrada group for destabilization drive

President Arroyo accused yesterday supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada of waging a sustained destabilization drive against her administration.

The President assured the people, however, that she would not waver in her leadership and remain focused on an economic turnaround for the country.

Mrs. Arroyo admitted she had considered mounting her own crackdown on the enemies of her administration, but decided instead to allow the rule of law to prevail.

"But we’re not talking here about my husband because I can discipline him. We’re talking about the guys who are trying to destroy him because they haven’t come up with any evidence," she said in her weekly radio-television program May Gloria ang Bukas Mo.

The President said earlier the spate of rumors and allegations against First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo has reached alarming proportions, even as she asserted that the charges were unsubstantiated.

Mrs. Arroyo denied anew accusations that she demanded controlling interest in the failed Philippine Communications Clearinghouse Inc. in exchange for a reconsideration of her veto on the franchise bill for the proposed firm.

"I would like to assure you, that more than ever, I am protecting my integrity as your President. It is my duty to lead each one of you towards change," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She surmised that the black propaganda campaign against her and the First Gentleman was born out of the realization by her detractors that Estrada would likely be convicted of plunder, which is punishable by death.

She also indicated that desperation has driven her enemies to undermine her leadership, or they themselves will be demolished.

Mrs. Arroyo faulted the media for playing up the "rumors and wild accusations" of her detractors.

"Not that I am preventing you from (enjoying) the rights of press freedom, but I am merely requesting you to closely examine the credibility of these people and the evidence they have before you publish or air their stories," the President told journalists.

"During these times, there are many controversies coming out. There are many questions that need to be answered," the President added.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao branded as "the worst type of liar" businessman Pacifico Marcelo who claimed Mrs. Arroyo personally asked for 51 percent of the PCCI shares in exchange for the recall of her veto on the franchise bill.

Tiglao claimed that Marcelo’s accusations may be part of a larger plot to destabilize the government.

"His falsehoods have slandered the President of the Republic and might even have been part of a plot to destabilize our democracy," Tiglao said in a statement.

Testifying at a hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Friday, Marcelo said he had a private meeting with the President at Malacañang last August.

During that meeting, Marcelo claimed Mrs. Arroyo demanded a payoff for the grant of his PCCI franchise.

Tiglao said Marcelo was working for certain people who had prompted him to make the accusation in the hope that it would bring down President Arroyo and allow a new government to take over.

"It is becoming obvious that Mr. Marcelo is a mudslinger-for-hire, who is trying to use the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to spread his falsehoods," Tiglao said.

He dared Marcelo to apologize to the Senate for his lies and identify his "principals" who paid him to discredit the President.

"Mr. Marcelo can still redeem any remaining piece of his dignity if he now tells the truth, apologize to the Senate for his lies and disclose who prodded him and most probably paid him to slander the President," Tiglao said.

Jonathan Ojano, vice president of another firm owned by Marcelo, said his boss has confided to him that he was offered P80 million to link Mrs. Arroyo to the PCCI controversy.

The witness said the revelation was made by Marcelo in October while they were discussing the status of some of their transactions with the government.

However, opposition leader Sen. Edgardo Angara dismissed Ojano as a "polluted source, as a rehearsed witness."

"He is a political operative out to destabilize the opposition," Angara stressed.

Asked by Angara why he kept quiet for four months since his meeting with the President at Malacañang, Marcelo replied that as a businessman, "I don’t want to have any conflict with Malacañang. I wanted to revive my firm. If I tell the truth, I know that I’ll be going against the President, and I know the consequences, but the Senate kept on asking me to appear, so I’m here."

Opposition Senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Panfilo Lacson commented that Marcelo’s allegations appeared to be more credible than Malacañang’s denial.

"The surreptitious manner in which Marcelo was made to meet Gloria (Arroyo) indicated that there was something fishy in the agenda and that she did not want the meeting to become public," the opposition legislators noted.

The political opposition has seized upon Marcelo’s charges, saying it could be the start of a scandal that could lead to the ouster of Mrs. Arroyo.

But members of the ruling majority raised serious doubts about Marcelo’s allegations.