More local officials, youth leaders back state of emergency

President Arroyo found allies in local government executives and youth leaders, who have thrown their full support behind her declaration of a state of national emergency.

Mayors, governors and other local government officials called on Mrs. Arroyo to apply the full force of the law after she issued the declaration last Friday following a coup attempt.

Mrs. Arroyo charged that some elements of the political opposition were forging an alliance with "military adventurists" and communist rebels to topple her administration.

Local government officials also appealed to former President Corazon Aquino, who led an anti-Arroyo rally last Friday, along with other key political figures to avoid being used by opposition groups to undermine the duly-elected government.

In a statement, the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines said it was "committed to stand by the President and recognizes her as the duly-elected legal and only president of the country until 2010. We are absolutely for the rule of law and are committed to abide by the provision of the Philippine Constitution."

Defending Mrs. Arroyo’s emergency declaration from questions about its legality, Oriental Mindoro Gov. Arnan Panaligan argued "it is the legitimate right of the state to defend itself against those who seek to destroy the constitutional order and to safeguard the general welfare and public safety."

"The full force of the law must be employed against those who plot against the duly-constituted authority," he said.

"We denounce and condemn all extra and unconstitutional processes of changing the present government," the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VMLP), led by Mandaluyong City Vice Mayor Jesus Cruz, declared in a resolution issued yesterday.

Among those who signed the resolution were Dagupan City Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, VMLP executive vice president; Daraga, Albay Vice Mayor Carlos Baylon, vice president for Luzon; Bacolod City Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, vice president for the Visayas; Tagum City Vice Mayor Allan Rellon, vice president for Mindanao; and Poro, Cebu Vice Mayor Ronald Carcillar, its secretary general.

Youth leaders also expressed their support, urging Filipinos to adhere to the rule of law.

"The National Movement of Young Legislators urges all citizens to abide by the mandate of the Constitution for the safety of our people and posterity. We join in the call for sobriety and national cohesion," NMYL national president Julian Coseteng said.

Local officials across the country also expressed dismay over last Friday’s events.

"We appeal to our brothers in the military to please think of our country first, especially now that our economy is taking off. We also appeal to former President Cory Aquino to help preserve and protect our democracy which we all fought for at EDSA," said Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar-Perez, chairwoman of the Regional Development Council for Western Visayas.

The emergency declaration came on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the people power revoly that brought down the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The Philippine Councilors League (PCL), led by its national chairman Elmer Datuin and national president Carlo Pontico Fortuna, said the Filipino people would only lose in any attempt to overthrow the government.

In a resolution, the PCL stated: "We call on our people not to be misled by the rebels’ cause because the means they use to accomplish these is strongly opposed to our democratically-held principles of peace and non-violence. The attempt is a plain and simple power grab where our Filipino people are not the victors but rather the victims."

Local government officials also criticized the latest coup attempt, saying it does not reflect the sentiment of Filipinos across the country.

"We are not happy with what is going out there in Manila because we in the outskirts are doing our best to help uplift our country. Now that our country’s economy is starting to improve, the people in Manila are doing nothing but (trying) to pull the country apart," said Camiguin Gov. Pedro Romualdo, who was vice chairman for Mindanao of the Consultative Commission on Constitutional Amendments.

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines also issued a statement backing Mrs. Arroyo.

Several administration allies in the House of Representatives issued a joint statement supporting President Arroyo, saying she continues to enjoy widespread support across the country.

"The people of Antique fully support the President in this time of political turmoil and we urge her to remain steadfast and strong to surmount the turmoil," said Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier.