RP minister quits over appointment of Abadia<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Crisis returned to the Philippines on Thursday when
\nthe defense secretary resigned over new President Gloria Arroyo's
\nappointment to cabinet of a former general under investigation
\nfor corruption.<\/p>\n
As Arroyo showed off her cabinet to a news conference, any
\nhope the new administration would usher in much needed stability
\nevaporated as Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado announced his
\ndeparture across town.<\/p>\n
Arroyo came to power last Saturday when former president
\nJoseph Estrada was hounded from the presidential palace by mass
\nprotests demanding he step down over allegations of wholesale
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
But on Thursday Mercado, who stayed on from Estrada's cabinet,
\nsaid he could not work beside National Security Adviser Lisandro
\nAbadia. Mercado filed corruption charges against the retired
\ngeneral in 1998.<\/p>\n
\"How can I serve in the cabinet together with the national
\nsecurity adviser when I initiated the investigation against him
\nand up to this time (the charges are) still pending in the
\ncourts?\" Mercado asked.<\/p>\n
Arroyo confirmed Mercado had offered to quit, but said she had
\nnot yet accepted.<\/p>\n
She insisted Mercado's leaving would not affect the armed
\nforces, saying: \"The chain of command is direct from the
\npresident to the chief of staff.\"<\/p>\n
Abadia denied any wrongdoing and expressed regret at the row.
\n\"If he wants, I can submit my resignation so he can stay on,\"
\nsaid Abadia, a former armed forces chief of staff.<\/p>\n
The country has been in turmoil for months over the
\naccusations Estrada stole millions of dollars in state funds and
\ntook millions more in bribes.<\/p>\n
His subsequent trial in the Senate saw the stock market and
\ncurrency plummet further and growth and foreign investment all
\nbut dry up.<\/p>\n
When a slim majority of senators voted along party lines last
\nweek to suppress evidence detailing Estrada's secret bank
\naccounts -- all but acquitting him -- hundreds of thousands of
\nangry protesters took to the streets, paralyzing Manila and other
\ncities and forcing him to quit.<\/p>\n
The withdrawal of support by Mercado and military chief Angelo
\nReyes from Estrada last Friday triggered the collapse of the
\nformer government.<\/p>\n
The 63-year-old former movie star now faces a possible
\ncriminal prosecution and could face the death penalty if
\nconvicted.<\/p>\n
Even so, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said Thursday
\nEstrada was free to leave the country if he wanted while
\nstressing the ex-president had not indicated any wish to do so.<\/p>\n
\"If former president Estrada wants to leave, that is his
\ndecision. We cannot force him to leave,\" Perez said.<\/p>\n
Senate president Aquilino Pimentel earlier urged Arroyo to
\nbanish Estrada to remove any possible security threat and allow
\nthe nation to rebuild after months of turmoil.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-minister-quits-over-appointment-of-abadia-1447893297",
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