Arroyo warns vs criminal saboteurs

President Arroyo called on Filipinos to be vigilant in the face of a standoff between the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the home of Rep. Joey Salceda in Polangui, Albay, Mrs. Arroyo said the people must combine "maximum vigilance" with "maximum tolerance" with the support of their communities.

"We shall calmly but firmly hold the middle ground of law and order and peaceable protest," she said. "We will protect the legitimate rights, but we will intercept criminal saboteurs or agents provocateurs."

Mrs. Arroyo also rejected rumors of no elections next year, when she was interviewed over Radio Mindanao Network in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

"Elections will push through," she said. "Because all the processes by the different institutions were continuing."

Mrs. Arroyo allayed fears that the standoff between the House and the Supreme Court would lead to the cancellation of next year’s elections.

"These are the types of concern that show how our Republic is really not that strong yet whenever there are transient destabilization, rumors or political controversies," she said.

"Our Republic is not that strong, and that is why we have these transient spikes of destabilization, rumors or political controversies."

Mrs. Arroyo said Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. are "willing" to sign a covenant to end the impasse on Davide’s impeachment by the House.

"I remain hopeful that I have tried a common solution of meeting this obstacle of solving the impasse," she said. "We have made an initiative for the common interest to thresh out this position under the leadership of the Speaker of the House.

"Meanwhile, the executive branch will take its cue from the Supreme Court on the exclusive interpretation of the law."

Mrs. Arroyo hopes that through a "principled way" she would be able to resolve the impasse that arose from the impeachment of Davide.

"My rule at this point is to be a unifier, and to me the primary instrument for the unification is the proposed draft covenant," she said.

"I am working for a common solution. And this is the most important role of the President at this time."

Upon landing at Legazpi City airport, Mrs. Arroyo immediately flew to Tabaco City to see the burned public market, and then proceeded to Barangay Pantao in Libon town to inspect a port project.

She also flew to Iriga City to inaugurate a public terminal and took part as special guest in an assembly at the University of Northeastern Philippines. — Marichu Villanueva, Celso Amo