Palace to suspend unity talks with Estrada camp

Malacañang onTuesday said it is suspending reconciliation talks with the camp of former president Estrada until the latter could show true sincerity in forging unity with the Arroyo administration. Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor said he is exasperated with the trend in the reconciliation talks with the Estrada camp, which he has been pursuing shortly after the siege on Malacanang on May 1, 2001. “It’s in suspended animation," Defensor quipped when asked about the state of reconciliation talks. He said the process has become “difficult" because just when he thought things were going fine between him and the Estrada camp, “something else would happen" that shows otherwise. “I feel that there is little good faith in the discussions....It would be better for them to just come to me. It’s hard to force someone who does not want reconciliation. So let us just leave it at that," he said. Defensor said it has become especially difficult for him because there are those in the Cabinet who are unsupportive of the process, and who are getting harder to convince about the prospects of such talks every time the other side acts or gives pronouncements that undermine his efforts. He was apparently referring to the latest ouster plot against Mrs. Arroyo and Estrada’s alleged involvement in it. “So for me, we will have to suspend it first," he said. –GMANews.TV