Gloria holds on!

The events on July 8 didn't precipitate the downfall of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Well, not yet, I suppose.

More and more calls for her resignation have come in.

The Liberal Party, which had been part of Gloria's political coalition, has bolted out but not without ranklings from its other leaders. LP President, Senator Franklin Drilon had led calls for Gloria's resignation (when only a few days ago had accompanied the President during her visit to Iloilo and rallied local executives saying that in Iloilo she would find all the support she needed.) The Liberal Party Chairman, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, had drubbed Drilon's ouster call saying that thousands of Liberal Party members had not been consulted about and much less agreed to call for the President's resignation.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer today runs a front page article (below fold) saying that Drilon had infact been behind the so called Malacanang Palace Coup -- referring to the resignation of ten of Gloria's cabinet officials led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

This goes deeper as Purisma was said to have confided with Drilon, on a number of occasions, matters regarding the administration. In anycase, as you would recall in an earlier post, I had pointed out that Sen. Mar Roxas had infact named Purisima as his replacement in the Department of Trade and Industry (the first appointment Purisima had before eventually being re-appointed to the Department of Finance). Both Roxas and Drilon are members of LP, both reputably have strong ties with the Ilonggos (people from Iloilo, long considered to be a major "voting block").

Also in the frontpage of the Philippine Daily Inquirer is an article with the headline (sic) "FVR factor makes GMA hang(s) tough" which apparently makes a big deal about the "timely' visit of former President Fidel V. Ramos to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on July 8 -- the day when the so called Hyatt Ten made public their calls for Arroyo's resignation. It is not know exactly how former President Ramos can assure Gloria of her continued hold on the Presidency, but it can be speculated that Ramos could still rally the military to stay with Gloria -- a crucial factor as evidenced in the January 2001 uprising where then AFP ChiefAngelo Reyes (now DILG Secretary) withdrew support from Estrada and forced the former President to vacate (literally) Malacanang Palace.