Estrada not going to resign, ready to face detractors

Estrada not going to resign, ready to face detractors

MANILA (Reuters): Embattled Philippine President Joseph
Estrada said on Saturday he would never resign and is ready to
face detractors accusing him of receiving gambling kickbacks.

Allegations linking Estrada to gambling syndicates have
spurred opposition moves to impeach him and sparked calls from
influential church leaders for his resignation, posing the
biggest threat to his 28-month administration.

But Estrada said he had no plans to step down before his term
ends in June 2004, adding that he would continue to fight for the
masses who put him into power.

"You (the masses) supported me, you gave me this position so
never will I resign," Estrada said in a speech at the
inauguration of a government housing project.

Estrada also announced the government was getting out of
involvement in all forms of gambling and would transfer the
operations of the state gaming firm Philippine Amusements and
Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to the private sector.

"Obviously the Filipino people do not approve of having
government itself involved in any form of gambling, no matter
what the intentions may be," Estrada said in his address.

In a separate address to the nation on Saturday, Estrada
repeated his rejection of claims made by a provincial governor,
Luis "Chavit" Singson, that he received 414 million pesos (US$8.7
million) in payoffs from gambling syndicates running an illegal
numbers game called jueteng.

The pressure on Estrada mounted over the past week after an
influential Manila archbishop, Cardinal Jaime Sin, called for his
resignation and Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo quit his
cabinet. Two members of Congress bolted out of the ruling party
on Thursday.

A third member of the ruling coalition -- former senator and
currently provincial governor Jose Lina -- withdrew his support
on Saturday, another sign of dissent within Estrada's party.

"I am ready to face my accusers. My conscience is clear ... I
am sure the truth will come out," Estrada said in an address to
the nation that was pre-recorded and broadcast almost three hours
after its expected transmission time.

"I reiterate to our people my commitment to abide by the
constitution. We have to allow this process to take its course."
Congressman Heherson Alvarez, who is leading the 22 opposition
lawmakers in the 218-seat House of Representatives that have
endorsed a resolution to impeach Estrada, welcomed the
president's move but said he would not abandon his quest.