Brewing changes in the Philippine Government

Political tensions are still on the rise, with the future leadership of the Philippines being a subject of much speculation and political uncertainties being everyman's staple -- along with inflation and unemployment.

My wife, who is a reporter for ABC5 here in the Philippines, just texted me that 10 cabinet members had asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to resign. Radio reports have named a number of them, including DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, and Trade Secretary Juan Santos. Others include Education Secretary Butch Abad, Guillermo Parayno of BIR. This follows the earlier resignation of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.

In a statement read by Finance Secretary Purisima (former head of SGV), in a statement read before the Press at the Hyatt Hotel along Roxas Boulevard, in essence, called for Arroyo's resignation, that her continued stay in the office shunted economic development and debilitated the economy, it called for Vice President Noli De Castro to assume office -- as mandated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

At around 8:00 PM July 7 (last night), President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had announced that she had asked all her cabinet members to quit. This fueled speculations that Arroyo had made this announcment to pre-empt a formal press conference by 10 cabinet members to announce their resignation today July 8, where the cabinet members would also make public their calls for the President's resignation.

Just now, a radio news report based on a undisclosed source says that the Cabinet Members clarified that their resignation was not a courtesy resignation. They said that they were fired.

Police and military have been placed on full alert.

Former 2004 Presidential Candidate Brother Eddie Villanueva had just a few days ago, that based on a very reliable source in Malacanang, President Arroyo would announce her resignation on Monday (July 11). This is supposedly to coincide with the Catholic Bishop's and Businessmen's Conference's call for the President to resign.

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