MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo yesterday vowed to ensure a peaceful turnover of power to the next chief executive on June 30, assuring critics that she would not stay a day longer in office.
In a speech to the military, Mrs. Arroyo said she would respect the nation’s democratic process, which requires her to make way for a new president who would be elected on May 10.
The President said “the change of command that we are having now reminds ourselves that leaders are transient but the authority and responsibility endure as they are transferred to another leader.”
“Our entire administration (is) devoted to ensure a smooth transition to a new government. The people come first,” Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech during the turnover ceremony of the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
“We are optimistic and hopeful about the future of this nation. We remain deeply committed to a smooth transition to a new government,” she said.
The President made the statement following months of accusations from opposition leaders and other critics that she is plotting to stay in power beyond her term.
There were allegations that Mrs. Arroyo is plotting to derail the May 10 elections, then take the opportunity to remain president amid the ensuing chaos.
Following her appointment of Army commander Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit as the new AFP chief, Mrs. Arroyo came under fire from critics alleging the appointment of her former Presidential Security Group chief was a move to ensure the elections would run in her favor.
Bangit took over the command of the AFP from Gen. Victor Ibrado, who retired yesterday on reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Critics feared the military might meddle in the elections with Mrs. Arroyo appointing Bangit as the new AFP chief.
Mrs. Arroyo has taken the unprecedented step of running for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent her home province of Pampanga in the May elections.
With that move, critics alleged Mrs. Arroyo is aiming to become the Speaker of the House, giving her the platform to orchestrate constitutional amendments that would allow her to become prime minister under a parliamentary government.
“We do not trust the President,” said former Batanes congressman Butch Abad, campaign manager of the opposition Liberal Party.
“She has shown on many occasions that she is hell-bent on remaining in power. This administration has not given us reason to believe otherwise,” Abad said.
Malacañang, however, dismissed the allegations and said the AFP under Bangit would remain a professional organization that should be insulated from politics.
Mrs. Arroyo, who is mandated to step down from the presidency on June 30, said she her administration’s “accomplishments and progress to date must be passed on to new leaders to continue the forward march of progress.”
Since last week, the President has been appointing new Cabinet officials that would oversee the transition of power in less than four months.
“We will be leaving the nation in better shape than we found it. We will be leaving the nation safer than we found it because of the great performance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” she said.
Mrs. Arroyo assured the nation that the military would remain apolitical and “help us prove our democracy works for the future of our nation’s children.”
She said that since she assumed office in 2001, she had a clear vision and offered “very specific programs” for the country’s growth.
She then advised the next president to be decisive and make sure that his programs of government would be clear and detail.
“We cannot put food on the table with just hope; we need a detailed plan of action and the ability to execute that plan and turn it into tangible results,” she said.
Mrs. Arroyo said the remaining months of her term are primarily focused on implementing her programs on infrastructure, education, healthcare, job creation and economic stability.
Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo told a news briefing yesterday that they have already prepared “templates” on the actual turnover of the Office of the President to the new chief executive.
Bangit, in his acceptance speech as the new AFP chief, sought to allay critics’ concerns on his appointment.
The new military chief denied charges that he was appointed by Mrs. Arroyo to help her stay in power.
“I am not the kind of commander who will lead our soldiers astray. I will not allow anybody to use me for partisan politics,” Bangit said. - By Paolo Romero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
