Angara slams FVR’s ‘media ploy’ involving Erap, Cory

Sen. Edgardo Angara thinks former President Fidel Ramos’ meeting with the opposition last Monday was all a "media ploy" to grab the limelight for himself and "unfortunately, some naive people fell into his trap."

Ramos’ meeting with Senate President Franklin Drilon and former senator Vicente Sotto III sparked speculation that ties between him and President Arroyo were fraying.

Angara was irked by Ramos’ refusal to disclose what they discussed at the meeting.

"That’s what he is good at. It’s just plain headline-grabbing gimmick. In plain language, he’s trying to focus the attention to himself," he said.

Angara did not give any reason for his suspicion.

He also belittled Ramos’ pledge of support for the Arroyo administration. "There is no significance at all for the life of the nation" in such pledges, he said.

Although Ramos is seen as a key Arroyo supporter, Angara believes the former president’s influence has diminished over the years. "You ask the soldiers in active service, they don’t respect him," he said.

Malacañang claims that Ramos remains an ally and was merely working to unite the administration with the opposition.

Administration officials also say that Drilon and Sotto tried to win Ramos over to join opposition efforts to force Mrs. Arroyo from office over allegations that she cheated her way to victory in the 2004 presidential race.

Ramos instead encouraged the opposition to help the country with its economic recovery efforts.

Opposition figures, meanwhile, are reportedly trying to create an anti-Arroyo front led by Ramos, former President Corazon Aquino, and deposed President Joseph Estrada, the opposition’s de facto leader.

Estrada on Thursday said he is ready to sit down for talks with Mrs. Aquino and Mr. Ramos saying "suggestions from the majority of our impoverished people for the three former presidents to join hands to find ways to alleviate the plight of our people is not only a welcome move but a step in the right direction."

But he denied reports that he had authorized any of his representatives to arrange such a meeting between himself, Ramos and Aquino.

It is speculated that Ramos met with Drilon and Sotto last Monday following reports of a Malacañang plan to postpone next year’s mid-term elections and extend the terms of elected officials to 2010, as proposed by the Consultative Commission (con-com).

But the con-com proposal is at odds with Ramos’ proposal calling for Mrs. Arroyo to cut short her six-year term, which expires in 2010, to pave the way for a shift to the parliamentary form of government, a change both Ramos and Mrs. Arroyo say would speed up economic recovery.

The President’s unclear stand on Ramos’ proposal sparked rumors late last year that the former president was withdrawing support of Mrs. Arroyo and backing a coup.