Faced with crisis, GMA turns to prayer

ROSALES, Pangasinan - President Arroyo is resorting once more to "prayer power" as her administration faces yet another crisis.

Mrs. Arroyo has sought spiritual refuge at her favorite place of worship here, the shrine of Our Lady of Rosales located in the middle of a rice field.

The President quietly slipped into this town as its residents lay fast asleep Wednesday night with Gina de Venecia, wife of Speaker Jose de Venecia, and a small group of friends.

Chief Inspector Rogelio Danoli, the town’s police chief, told The STAR that Mrs. Arroyo, Mrs. De Venecia and their party visited the shrine of Our Lady of Rosales at 11 p.m. Wednesday and heard Mass there.

The President and her companions traveled to the town by bus, stayed for a little over an hour and left, Danoli said.

Danoli said town Mayor Ricardo Revita informed him of the President’s arrival and ordered that the shrine be secured.

In recent days, the Arroyo administration has been beset by several crises, including alleged involvement of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, his brother Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo and his son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo in the jueteng scandal.

The jueteng exposé was made by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, who alleged that the President’s husband, brother-in-law and son were beneficiaries of jueteng payola - a matter that is now the subject of a Senate inquiry.

The Arroyo administration is also battling destabilization moves allegedly being spearheaded by the opposition and coup rumors.

Compact disc (CD) recordings of allegedly wiretapped conversations between the President and an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) during the May 2004 elections were also released to the media. — Eva Visperas