The Philippine Online Chronicles

The people that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met on her way up to the Presidency in 2001 are the same people who will make sure that she steps down.

Consisting of religious, militant, and civil society groups that helped Arroyo assume office after the ouster of former President Joseph Estrada during EDSA II, the group calls itself the “June 30 Movement” as a reminder that she must step down on midday of June 30 as mandated by the Constitution.

“We’re only committing ourselves to the Constitution. We’re not even asking for her to resign,” NBN-ZTE deal controversy whistle-blower Rodolfo Lozada said, in behalf of the group.

The group, which includes Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, National Council of Churches of the Philippines, Promotion of Church People’s Response, Pagbabago People’s Movement for Change, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Courage, and Gabriela, marched to the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, the same place where Arroyo was sworn into office nine years ago.

The campaign was launched simultaneously with the announcement of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that lawyer Ely Pamatong's disqualification charges against Arroyo's congressional bid were denied. They also distributed copies of the June 20 Movement manifesto, seeking signatures to commit to “demanding a peaceful transition of power from (Arroyo) to the next President of the Republic other than herself at noontime of June 30, 2010.”

However, the campaign was dismissed by the Malacañang as politically motivated. Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that the group need not give warning since Arroyo is sure to step down on June 30.

“I think the fact that she has declared her candidacy for the House of Representatives in Pampanga is sufficient to answer your question and she is in fact seriously seeking that so that reminder is redundant or unnecessary I believe,” Philippine Star quoted Conrado Limcaoco, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary, as saying.