US embassy cable - 05MANILA3167

UNCLAS MANILA 003167 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, P, EAP, EAP/PMBS, EAP/PD, INR/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PREL, SOCI, RP 
SUBJECT: CATHOLIC BISHOPS SIDESTEP ISSUE OF WHETHER ARROYO 
SHOULD RESIGN 
 
REF: A. OPS CENTER - MANILA 07-10-05 TELCON 
 
     B. MANILA 3163 
     C. MANILA 3162 
     D. MANILA 3154 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the 
Philippines (CBCP) sidestepped the issue of whether President 
Arroyo should resign in their statement on the political 
situation on July 10.  On one hand, the group stated that it 
did not demand her resignation, while on the other hand it 
called on the President to examine the situation and to make 
the best decision for the country.  Amid mounting calls for 
her to resign, the statement appears to have given Arroyo 
some breathing room.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) In a July 10 press conference, Archbishop Fernando 
Capalla, outgoing President of the CBCP, read the group's 
statement which stopped short of demanding the President's 
resignation.  The statement read, in part, "...in a spirit of 
humility and truth, we declare our prayerfully discerned 
collective decision that we do not demand her resignation." 
The CBCP statement added that it did not "simply dismiss such 
a call from others," however. 
 
3.  (U) The CBCP went on to state that "we would ask the 
President to discern deeply to what extent she might have 
contributed to the erosion of effective governance and 
whether the erosion is so severe as to be irreversible.  In 
her heart she has to make the necessary decision for the sake 
of the country."  The bishops also stated that restoring 
trust would require a thorough, credible, and independent 
process to examine the recent scandals that have rocked 
Malacanang. 
 
4.  (U) The CBCP praised the military and police for what it 
said was their "loyalty to our Constitution" and the CBCP 
rejected calls for "juntas or revolutionary councils."  It 
also rejected the use of violence and denounced groups who 
were trying to "exploit our vulnerable national situation in 
order to create confusion and social chaos." 
 
5.  (U) Comment:  As reviewed in Reftels, Arroyo has faced 
mounting calls to resign due to the recent scandals.  The 
much-awaited CBCP statement appears to have given her some 
breathing room by not explicitly demanding her resignation. 
Mission will continue to canvass reaction. 
 
MUSSOMELI