Arroyo flies to Turkey ahead of Lakas-Kampi-CMD meeting

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the self proclaimed chairman of the ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD, left the country hours ahead of the party's announcement of its presidential candidate for 2010.

A report by ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda said President Arroyo flew to Turkey after midnight Wednesday.

In a statement before she left the airport, Mrs. Arroyo said she was invited by Turkey President Abdulla Gul to join him in commemorating the 60th anniversary of Turkey-Philippines diplomatic relations.

She said that she will also meet with Ekmeleddin Inhasnoglu, the Turkish secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to discuss the organization's role in helping restore peace in Mindanao.

After Turkey, Mrs. Arroyo is also scheduled to visit leaders in United Kingdom where she will meet allies who have signified support for the Mindanao peace process, and then to Saudi Arabia to promote the welfare of Filipino women working in the oil-rich country.

"Our trips have helped secure important trade opportunities and foreign investments that have in turn helped us achieve 34 quarters -- or more than eight years -- of uninterrupted growth. It is this achievement that enables us to withstand thee recession that is now raging us.," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo, who was earlier reported as favoring Vice-President Noli de Castro for the endorsement, left despite the Lakas-Kampi-CMD's scheduled announcement of its standard bearer for the 2010 presidential election.

There were rumors that the ruling party was poised to announce Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro as its standard bearer.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, in an interview with ABS-CBN, declined to name who has been picked by the party's executive committee.

"Two are vying for presidency, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and DND Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. We will have a feel from the membership from the executive committee on who the leadership might prefer as standard bearer," Ermita said.

He said that De Castro had been taken out of the list of possible standard bearers after the vice-president failed to join the party on Tuesday.

Ermita said that he would not preempt the executive committee's announcement set at 9:30 a.m. at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

He said he expects all Lakas-Kampi-CMD members to attend the event.

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FVR's ‘no-el’ warning unfounded, Palace exec says

Source: gmanews.tv
Malacañang has branded as “unfounded" former President Fidel Ramos’ warning that the government might use the military to postpone next year's elections and extend President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s term beyond 2010.

“Those are unfounded, meaning to say they should be verified by the right authorities," said deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez, Jr. in a press briefing on Monday.

Ramos on Saturday cautioned members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1978, of which President Arroyo is an adopted member, against staging a coup or putting up a military junta before May 2010 to prevent the conduct of an election.

Ramos, a former military officer, had served as Armed Forces chief before he became president in 1992. He was instrumental in toppling the Marcos regime in 1986 through the historic EDSA People Power revolution.

Golez said nobody could say the elections would not push through in 2010, noting that even President Arroyo has been consistent in saying that there will be one.

The official likewise assured that members of PMA Class of 1978 would not be involved in politics despite the key positions being held by some of its members in the military and police organizations.

Among the members of the class whom President Arroyo appointed to important positions were Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, commanding general of the Philippine Army; Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp); and Police Director Roberto Rosales, head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

The president of PMA Class of 1978, meanwhile, assured Ramos that they would not be participants in a no-election scenario, stressing that his classmates are loyal to the Constitution.

“We assure him that the members of the PMA Class 1978 are professionals and as professionals, we remain loyal to the Constitution and to the government," said Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali.

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