Ex-Cabinet men urge Arroyo execs to quit or do a Lozada

FIDEL JIMENEZ, GMANews.TV Former Cabinet members on Sunday called on incumbent state officials who have knowledge of anomalous government transactions to either quit their post or expose the wrongdoing of the administration, saying President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's leadership has already "gone wild." The former Cabinet officials released a manifesto in what appeared to be the strongest sentiment so far against beleaguered Mrs Arroyo who is facing mounting pressure to step down over the ZTE mess. In the manifesto, the former officials said they can no longer stay silent on controversies surrounding the administration, ranging from graft and corruption to human rights violations. The group added that threats to democracy and moral values have confronted the Philippines, putting the future of the country at stake. “These questions persist but, today, we can no longer stay silent. We can no longer ignore the reality of a government gone wild, wreaking havoc on our rights and institutions in a climate of impunity," the manifesto said. “The future of our country is at stake. Our democratic institutions are under attack. What we stand to [lose] is the moral fabric of our society. We call on all government officials - Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries, heads of agencies - who know about these anomalous transactions to join the heroic stand of [Rodolfo] Jun Lozada to come forward and speak out," they added. The manifesto also urged those who have knowledge about extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances to speak up. “We call on all those who can no longer endure this wrongful governance, with its structures of evil and unmoderated greed: 'it is time to cut clean, it is time go.'" The former government officials said they can no longer console themselves in the strength of the peso, narrowing deficits and an expanding economy. “Even these ephemeral gains have not translated into a better life for the majority of our people, especially the poor," the manifesto added. However, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo, in a statement Sunday, said members of the Arroyo Cabinet would not heed the resignation call. Saludo said he saw no reason for them to leave the government, claiming they are all performing well in their duties. "You can tell the Cabinet mood from the economy, infrastructure, social services, peace and order and foreign affairs,'' said Saludo. He said the government’s accomplishments included the record economic growth, one million added jobs, 10,000 new classrooms and health insurance for millions of poor families. "That makes the Cabinet happy,'' Saludo said. The former Cabinet officials said in the manifesto that the testimony of Lozada on the alleged anomalous ZTE deal confirms “what we already know: our country is sliding into moral decadence." The manifesto also attacked the administration for using law enforcement units to allegedly obstruct justice and cover up illegal orders and acts. Names of the former Cabinet members: 1. Florencio Abad (Former Secretary, Department of Education) 2. Tomas Africa (Former Administrator, National Statistics Office) 3. Tomas Apacible (Former Undersecretary, Department of Finance, commissioner, bureau of Customs) 4. Senon Bacani (Former Secretary, Department of Agriculture) 5. Gerardo Bulatao (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agrarian Reform) 6. Clifford Burkley (Former Undersecretary, Department of Social Work and Development) 7. Jose Cuisia (Former Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) 8. Sostenes Campillo (Former Undersecretary, Department of Tourism) 9. Karina Constantino-David (Former Chair, Civil Service Commission) 10. Elfren Cruz (Former Head, Presidential Management Staff) 11. Teresita Quintos Deles (Former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process) 12. Benjamin Diokno (Former Secretary-General, National Economic Development Authority) 13. Franklin Drilon (Former Executive Secretary) 14. Jesus Estanislao (Former Secretary, Department of Finance) 15. Fulgencio Factoran Jr. (Former Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources) 16. Victoria Garchitorena (Former Head, presidential Management Staff) 17. Ernesto Garilao (Former Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform) 18. Jose Luis Gascon (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education) 19. Marietta Goco (Former Chair, Presidential Commission to Fight Poverty) 20. Jose Antonio Gonzalez (Former Minister, Ministry of Tourism) 21. Milwilda Guevarra (Former Undersecretary, Department of Finance) 22. Cielito Habito (Former Secretary-General, National Economic Development Authority) 23. Edilberto de Jesus, Jr. (Former Secretary, Department of Education) 24. Antonio La Vina (Former Undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources) 25. Benjamin Laguesma (Former Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment) 26. Lina Laigo (Former Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development) 27. Ernest Leung (Former Secretary, Department of Finance) 28. Josefina Lichauco (Former Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communications) 29. Narzalina Lim (Former Secretary, Department of Tourism) 30. Juan Miguel Luz (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education) 31. Felipe Medalla (Former Secretary-General, National Economic Development Authority) 32. Vitaliano Nañagas (Former President, Development Bank of the Philippines) 33. Imelda Nicolas (Former Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission) 34. Ernesto Ordoñez (Former Undersecretary, Presidential Flagship Programs and Projects) 35. Victor Ordoñez (Former Undersecretary, Department of Education) 36. Vicente Paterno (Former Minister, Ministry of Trade and Industry) 37. Jose Pardo (Former Secretary, Department of Finance) 38. Cesar Purisima (Former Secretary, Department of Finance) 39. Victor Ramos (Former Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources) 40. Amina Rasul (Former Chair, National Youth Commission) 41. Albert del Rosario (Former Ambassador to United States of America) 42. Francisco del Rosario (Former Chair, Development Bank of the Philippines) 43. Ramon del Rosario (Former Secretary, Department of Finance) 44. Melito Salazar (Former member of the Monetary Board, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) 45. Leticia Ramos-Shahani (Former Undersecretary, Department of Foreign Affairs) 46. Cesar Sarino (Former Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government) 47. Juan Santos (Former Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry) 48. Corazon Juliano-Soliman (Former Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development) 49. Hector Soliman (Former Undersecretary, Department of Agrarian Reform) 50. Mario Taguiwalo (Former Undersecretary, Department of Health) 51. Wigberto Tañada (Former Commissioner, Bureau of Customs) 52. Rene Villa (Former Secretary, Department of Agrarian Reform) 53. Veronica F. Villavicencio (Former Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission) 54. Deogracias Vistan (Former President, Land Bank of the Philippines - GMANews.TV