FVR: GMA should follow conscience, cut term

Former President Fidel Ramos called on President Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro yesterday to cut her term short in the event of Charter change and make the "supreme sacrifice" for the nation’s sake.

Speaking to reporters before boarding a plane for a four-day trip to China, Ramos said Mrs. Arroyo should examine her conscience and follow the examples of former presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada, who left Malacañang in the face of massive demonstrations to avoid a bloody confrontation.

"In this case, the Senate president must take over and call for snap elections within 60 days," he said.

Under the Constitution, a snap election is only possible if both the President and the Vice President step down, he added.

Ramos said Mrs. Arroyo must agree to cut short her six-year term to give way to Charter change, the only viable solution to the political turmoil besetting her administration.

"Panahon na para makonsyensya ang mga dapat na makonsyensya (It’s time for those who should be bothered by their conscience to be bothered by their conscience)," he said.

Ramos said Mrs. Arroyo should "heed the signs" that the nation is already suffering from her continued stay in office and make the "supreme sacrifice."

"Masyado nang malalim ang problema (The problem is now grave)," he said. "She has to do something noble."

Ramos said he is seeing the same political and economic crisis that led Marcos to call a snap presidential election in 1985 in answer to a challenge from American broadcaster Ted Koppel on live television.

"I’ve been saying it for a long time: the higher the position the greater the sacrifice," he said. "She (Mrs. Arroyo) has to do something noble. Cut her term short."

Ramos said Marcos and Estrada were to be commended for making the "supreme sacrifice" in 1986 and 2001, when they left Malacañang as anti-government demonstrators were laying siege to the seat of power.

"During the height of the 1986 revolt, President Marcos sacrificed his position by not ordering Gen. Fabian Ver to pull the trigger and fire on the rallyists along EDSA," he said.

"Even President Estrada, he just left Malacañang, boarded the barge, crossed the Pasig River, went to his car and went home to San Juan.

"Sa palagay ko (In my opinion), it could have been very bloody if he had held on to power, as the people power forces were already marching towards the Palace."

Ramos said a snap presidential election would just be "part of the solution" as "we still have to change our form of government to the parliamentary system, and that our electoral system be overhauled." — Rainier Allan Ronda