Former Senior Government Officials

We are one with the Filipino people, of all faiths and persuasions, in mourning the death of our President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. We condole with her family, and share their grief with the rest of the nation, at the passing from her life into eternity, consoled by the knowledge that she will continue to intercede in Heaven for our country and people.

She leaves a legacy of honesty, purity of heart, faith, and love for the nation, for future elected leaders of this country to emulate. As former senior government officials, aware of the difficulties of governing, and the temptations of power which beset the Presidency, we pay homage to and express our admiration for President Cory, mother of our nation.

We are Former Senior Government Officials who have served the people in various capacities as public officials appointed by several Presidents of the Republic, from Diosdado Macapagal to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Many of us have participated in the preparation of the State of the Nation Address of several presidents.

The nation awaits the ninth State of the Nation Address of the incumbent president. It is supposed to be her final message to Congress in joint session assembled, before she leaves the presidency on June 30, 2010, as mandated by the fundamental law of the land.

More than any report of achievement or promise of legacy, what the Filipino people want to hear from her, at this time, are firm declarations that would finally disprove their greatest fears - that democracy is once more at peril, and that the scheduled elections of May 2010 shall be either sham or failure.

Our people have in the past demonstrated their capacity to remove a dictator from power peacefully. This time, they will move to prevent any attempt to thwart our democratic rights. They will not wait for another dictator to seize power by whatever subterfuge.

And so the Filipino people must expect Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to declare on or before July 27, 2009, the day she addresses Congress:

That she will relinquish all power at noon of June 30, 2010, and thus allow the peaceful and orderly transfer of power to her duly-elected successor;

CORAZON C. AQUINO
Anti-CONASS Rally
Ayala Avenue, Makati
June 10,2009

Minamahal kong mga kababayan,

Ikinalulungkot ko na hindi ko kayo makakasama ngayon, ngunit kahit na mahina ang aking katawan, matatag pa rin ang aking paninindigan na tutulan ang katiwalian.

Over the years, I have learned to endure pain and sadness- first, when Ninoy was separated from us by the hand of a dictator; then, when he was taken from us by the hand of an assassin; and now that I have placed myself at the hands of a merciful God.

But perhaps there is nothing that causes me greater pain than to see our people betrayed again and again by those they have elected to lead and serve them. To those of us who had fought long and hard to restore our democracy, the pain deepens at the thought that all our gains have so quickly been eroded.

Nang mapalayas natin ang diktador, hindi ba’t ipinangako nating hindi na tayo papayag na mawala muli ang ating kalayaan? Subalit, narito muli tayo, sa gitna ng walang-hiyang pang-aabuso ng mga makapangyarihang nagnanais na sirain ang mga pinakapayak sa ating mga batas.

We, the Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO), condemn in the strongest terms the arrest of Engineer Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, over flimsy and concocted perjury charges filed by PNR General Manager Michael T. Defensor against him. His arrest stands in stark contrast to the freedom and impunity enjoyed by such allies of the current regime accused of far greater offenses -- Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante, Benjamin Abalos, Romulo Neri, Hernando B. Perez, Virgilio Garcillano, Jesus Martinez, Eliseo dela Paz, and others of similar notoriety.

We, the Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO), welcome the increasing concern of multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, to ensure a corruption free environment in its lending practices.  We recognize and laud the commitment of the World Bank to pursue integrity and good governance in its projects.  We are deeply disturbed by the efforts of some government officials and legislators to impugn and malign the efforts undertaken by the Bank to weed out corrupt practices in government.

Ano po ang gagawin ninyo sa patuloy na talamak na korupsyon?

What keeps your group going and how would you assess the public’s reaction to your calls?

Kunyari po, wala pang alam si GMA gawin sa economic crisis, what economic reforms would you recommend to her?

 

(Video clips courtesy of Ms. Jhen Enriquez)

Please click this link for the Filipino version.

 

 

We cry at the debasement of our democracy. Mrs. Arroyo rode on the backs of a people outraged with corruption in order to steal the presidency and then used her tenuous hold to lie and cheat for a lengthened stay. Mrs. Arroyo remains president in Malacanang without being legitimately elected into power. That alone makes her an affront to our republic born of a free people rising in revolt against stolen elections in 1986. We cry that power over our government and our collective future remains in the hands of an illegitimate leader.

Filipino Version | Signatories | Sign the Petition Now

We, the organizations and individuals who have signed this statement, are citizens of this Republic alarmed by current political developments.

We are Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) committed to strengthening our country's democratic institutions in the service of the people. We wish to commend the hundreds of thousands of career public servants, particularly teachers, soldiers, and police officers, who have remained true