Metro Manila bishops had organized the prayer rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila to urge the government to restructure its economic policies in ways that would give more benefits to the poor.
Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said that, contrary to the intentions of some of those who joined the prayer rally, they were not espousing the removal of Mrs. Arroyo from office.
"Just to clarify, this (rally) is not to call for the ouster of the President," he said.
Iñiguez said their purpose was to call the government’s attention to shortcomings and have the President "seriously consider how bad the economic situation (has become). They should seriously look, analyze and make appropriate measures."
He said the country is mired in economic problems such as the lack of livelihood opportunities and the burden imposed by the expanded value-added tax, oil deregulation and privatization of government-run firms.
Iñiguez said they were expecting about 30,000 to attend the three-hour rally in front of the Philippine Postal Corp. building, but only 5,000 came.
Rally leaders estimated the crowd at more than 10,000, but police authorities said the rallyists numbered about 3,000. Organizers claimed most of the rallyists were turned away by police crowd control units on their way to Liwasang Bonifacio.
Many of them wore black and carried streamers and placards that read "GMA Illegitimate President," "Gloria Resign" and "Justice for Erap" as they started arriving at the Liwasang Bonifacio past 2 p.m.
Among the groups at the rally were religious organizations such as evangelist Eddie Villanueva’s Bangon Pilipino Movement, Promotion of Church People’s Response, and Kairos.
Supporters of ousted president Joseph Estrada, the late actor and defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, as well as representatives from the United Opposition, the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), were also at the rally.
Prominent figures spotted at the event were outgoing National Labor Relations Commission head Roy Señeres, San Juan Mayor Jose Victor Ejercito, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, Makati Rep. Agapito Aquino, Sen. Alfredo Lim, former Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Lito Banayo, and perennial presidential candidate Elly Pamatong.
Sammy Malunes, a spokesman for the militant party-list group Anakpawis, said the "only patriotic thing" Mrs. Arroyo can do at this point "is to follow the people’s genuine will and give up the presidency."
He said the scandals and exposés on jueteng, poll fraud and corruption only reflect the Arroyo administration’s incapability to govern credibly and cleanly.
Another militant group, the Filipino Democratic Movement, called for the "removal of the rotten administration to effect immediate system change. Revelations on the jueteng scandal and electoral fraud confirm the illegitimacy and lack of moral ascendancy of the Arroyo administration."
A number of bishops wearing black robes, together with opposition figures, occupied the stage set up near the fountain. A streamer bearing the words "Ipagluksa and kahirapan at pagyurak sa karapatang pantao ng sambayanan (Let us mourn our poverty and the violation of the people’s human rights)" was strung overhead.
Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias cautioned those who attended the rally to be discerning. He appealed to the people to "listen to what other people would say, even if we do not approve. I will leave you to make your own judgment. This is not meant to sympathize with them. We will listen and we hope that the government would also do so."
He added that the blame for the country’s present predicament does not rest solely with the government, but the people as well.
Ejercito said the recent turn of events could be what the opposition groups need to be united. He said they were at Liwasang Bonifacio to express their support for the bishops’ cause.
"There have already been many scandals and (allegations of) electoral fraud. People have been suffering in the last four years (and) there is still five more years to go. I am not sure if the people can still take it," he said.
Ejercito challenged Mrs. Arroyo to make the ultimate sacrifice of stepping down from her post if she really loves the Filipino people. However, when asked if they had already found a replacement for her, he said "the situation will produce a leader."
He added that his father is not interested in returning to Malacañang.
"He just wants to be vindicated of the plunder charges filed against him and for the country’s state to improve," Ejercito said.
Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said he gave the permit for the bishops to stage a rally on the condition that they police their ranks and that they would conduct a peaceful assembly.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada also called for Mrs. Arroyo resignation in order to "save the country from further turmoil" following Ong’s revelations.
"Mrs. Arroyo robbed from the Filipino people the right to choose their leader, which violated the Constitution and the rule of law," Estrada said. — With Marvin Sy