OFW groups back GMA

Eight overseas Filipino workers organizations claiming to represent half a million OFWs yesterday pledged their support for President Arroyo amid allegations that she cheated in the May 2004 elections.

The OFW groups denounced efforts to destabilize the government and called on the public to reject calls for street protests and rallies.

The groups include the Global Alliance of OFWs (GAOFW), United Filipino Seafarers (UFS), Kaibigan, Kakampi, Kasapi, OFW Foundation, Overseas Performing Artists Group (OPAG) and OCW Care, Inc.

They said accusations of graft and corruption and other anomalies exposed by the alleged wiretapped conversations between the President and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano must be substantiated with evidence and presented in the proper forum.

Such allegations, they stressed, should be lodged before courts of law or before Congress through an impeachment complaint, if warranted.

The OFW groups said they had come out to publicly back Mrs. Arroyo, who, they believe, is being unfairly subjected to trial by publicity. "We need to see to it that the law prevails and this does not mean another people power (revolt) as we feel that this would be counter-productive," the OFW groups’ leaders said.

"OFWs and their families must refuse to be dragged into the streets. I think they have better sense than to be involved in partisan politics," added Francisco Aguilar, also of the GAOFW group.

The groups called for sobriety, noting that "GMA is still the President."

Nelson Ramirez of UFS, a seaman, said the country could be likened to a ship afloat in the ocean that encounters both good and bad weather. "During storms, those in the ship should help each other. If our government sinks, we will sink together with our government," he said.

The OFW leaders also stressed that they do not see anyone fit to replace Mrs. Arroyo in case she is forced out of Malacañang. But they also said they are in favor of changing the form of government to a federal parliamentary system.