Arroyo seeks greater support
Arroyo seeks greater support
BAGUIO, Philippines (AFP): Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on Saturday handed out more benefits to the military while appealing for greater support amid uncertainty over her prospective choices for defense secretary and military chief of staff.
Speaking to active and retired officers at the elite Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in the northern resort city of Baguio, Arroyo stressed the military's role in the peaceful uprising that toppled her predecessor, Joseph Estrada, on Jan. 20.
Arroyo told officers she saw herself "as one of the guys" and stressed that "I feel confident I can count on you just as I counted on you in (in the uprising against Estrada) and in the difficult days afterwards."
She did not elaborate on the "difficult days afterwards" but there were reports of destabilization plots being hatched against her newly-installed government at the time.
The president also announced a new program with the agriculture department to make staple foods -- rice and sugar -- available at military camp stores at lower prices and to provide assistance to soldiers and their families in agricultural projects.
It was the latest of a series of Arroyo's speeches before the military and police whose abandonment of Estrada on Jan. 19, was considered the crucial act that finally led to the disgraced president's ousting.
In previous speeches, she has also announced hikes in military and police benefits while emphasizing that she will consult with them on various security issues including her plan to reopen peace talks with communist and Muslim separatist guerrillas.
Her speech at the PMA came after she announced on Tuesday that she was letting her military chief of staff, General Angelo Reyes retire in March despite a two-year extension of his term granted by Estrada.
The announcement of Reyes's retirement came after retired generals began questioning the extension and campaigned for his replacement.
Reyes had led the military in withdrawing their support for Estrada at the height of massive street demonstrations calling for Estrada's ousting over a growing corruption crisis.
The military's withdrawal of support and the resignation of key cabinet members convinced Estrada to leave the presidential palace, allowing Arroyo to be sworn in as president.
In her speech, Arroyo acknowledged that Reyes, a former friend of Estrada, had helped turn the tide against the ex-president and stressed that when he swung his support behind her, he did not ask anything for himself, including an extension of his term.