Timeline: 2008 Calls for Resignation of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

This Timeline: 2008 Calls for Resignation of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a chronology of dates documented by Philippine media outlets, of mounting calls for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. "From the skyscrapers of Makati and the parliament of the streets, to the groves of academe, even in police stations and military camps," different sectors of Philippine society (also) called for the resignation of Commission on Higher Education Chair Romulo Neri, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

*The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), headed by former Philippine Ambassador to the Washington Alberto del Rosario, said it was “compelled to speak out in the face of the frequency of corruption cases and scandals that have been growing in scope and intensity.” It was joined by other leaders of the business group which include Pilipinas Shell chair and president Edgar O. Chua, accountant Baltazar N. Endriga, Figaro Coffee CEO Pacita U. Juan, Unilab Group president and CEO Carlos C. Ejercito, architect Felino A. Palafox Jr., businessmen Senen C. Bacani and Franco G. Del Rosario, and former Finance Secretary and “Hyatt 10” leader Cesar V. Purisima.

*UP professors led by Prof. Harry Roque of the UP College of Law, including the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines-National Capital Region (CEAP-NCR), Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association (MAPSA), Association of the Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), the Ateneo de Manila University’s Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, and the UP Board of Regents also asked Neri to step down as chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), out of a sense of “shame.” Jesus is Lord (JIL) Movement, led by Eddie Villanueva joined the mounting calls for President Arroyo ouster.

*New York-based think tank Global Source reported that “it sees a slim chance that President Macapagal-Arroyo will be ousted through another “people power” given the lack of public outrage and solid backing from the military brass even amid the ZTE-National Broadband Network scandal.”

*The Geneva groups led by Geneva Forum for Philippine Concerns, Migrante, Akbayan and Bagtasan held a "Light a Candle for Truth" prayer meeting at the sideroom of John XXIII Parish, in Geneva, Switzerland. Former President Joseph Estrada announced that for the common objective of fighting corruption in the country, he is now ready to join forces with the people "who demonized him" and that he had forgiven those who did him wrong. Opposition groups announced that they will conduct protest rally in Makati City on February 25 to mark the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

*Vice President Noli de Castro, Jr. released a statement that the President "should be charged if they would be found directly involved in the alleged anomalies in the National Broadband Network (NBN) project. Nobody is above the law. Lahat ng sangkot from top to bottom dapat makasuhan (Nobody is above the law. Everybody from top to bottom found directly involved in the anomaly should be charged)."

*Whistle-blower Jose “Joey” de Venecia III and Senator Panfilo Lacson asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign, while Senate President Manny Villar, and Senator Allan Peter Cayetano called for her leave of absence. Georgina de Venecia, wife of ousted House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., and her daughter Carissa Cruz-Evangelista resigned from their government positions (as consultant to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and as undersecretary of the the Department of Trade and Industry, respectively).

*The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) announced that it would join mass protests to denounce the corruption exposed by the “very, very credible witness” Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. in the Senate inquiry. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV , Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, and detained mutiny leaders lauded Lozada's decision to come out. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales praised Lozada and likened him to Jose Rizal and Benigno Aquino, Jr.: “ was right in deciding to come out with the truth.” Bacolod City, Bishop Vicente Navarra called on the public to attend the “Mass for Truth” at the San Sebastian Cathedral to support Lozada. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued pastoral letters calling for “communal action” based on truth.The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, led by Chair Henrietta de Villa, also joined calls versus greed.

*President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo canceled her trip to Baguio City due to intelligence reports of assassination threats from the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group, according to Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, head of the Presidential Security Group (PSG). Militant and civil society groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Sanlakas and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees held noise barrages in Quezon City and Manila as a buildup protest action Valentine’s prelude to Black Friday.

*Former Senate President Jovito Salonga stated that "the Senate probe of the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal has produced enough evidence that can be used to prosecute Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, Benjamin Abalos Sr. and Romulo Neri; and even President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could be held accountable and impeached in connection with the allegedly anomalous contract after she went to Boao, China, to witness the signing of the contract with Chinese firm ZTE Corp." Salonga's citizens’ watchdog groups Kilosbayan, Bantay Katarungan and Bantayog ng mga Bayani announced the filing of a complaint in the Office of the Ombudsman against Mike Arroyo (the President’s husband), Abalos, Neri and even Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

*The Makati Business Club (MBC) and 80 multi-sectoral groups from the opposition, militant organizations, and the civil society (led by Dr. Minguita Padilla, co-convenor and Vicente “Enteng" Romano III, convenor of the Black and White Movement) convened at the Manila Polo Club and formed the Concerned Citizens Movement to call for the resignation and ouster of the President. Former Cabinet officials who quit the Arroyo government in 2005 in the wake of the "Hello Garci" scandal have joined the call for a "communal action." They were led by former Education Secretary Florencio Abad of the "Hyatt 10", who announced that they sent a manifesto to other Cabinet officials who quit the Arroyo government for their signature. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz stated that Mrs. Arroyo is left with only 3 choice, in the current political storm: "she can either make a voluntary exit, go through an impeachment proceeding, or make others do the "cleaning and clearing" of the Palace."

*Tacloban City Militant groups called for the ouster of President Macapagal-Arroyo and other government officials involved in the national broadband network (NBN) controversy. They were led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Metro Tacloban chapter, Sister Florence Lacoro of the Order of St. Benedict, spokesperson of the Regional Alliance Against Mining, Large-Scale Logging and Corruption (Ramilcor) in Eastern Visayas, composed of 25 organizations from different parts of the region).

*Law students from some of the biggest universities in Metro Manila joined the call for the immediate resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Rafael Calinisan, Law Student Government Coordinating Council (LSGCC) Chair openly expressed disappointment over Mrs Arroyo's leadership and urged her to resign "at the soonest possible time: "We, the presidents and the members of the student governments of Ateneo, UP, UST and UE Schools of Law, are imploring the president to please resign at the soonest possible time."

*The latest IBON survey revealed that 75% of the total 1,503 survey respondents said yes to existence of corruption, and of these, 77.4% said they agreed with such call to step down. The Solidarity Philippines, Concerned Citizens Group, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, inter alia, called for a rejection of Pres. Arroyo’s morally bankrupt government.

*On February 17, 2008, 60 former Cabinet secretaries from previous administrations and from the Arroyo government signed a manifesto, calling them to resign their posts.

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