Bishops see US hand in RP political crisis
Oct 03, 2005
Updated 01:45am (Mla time)
Christian V. Esguerra
Inquirer News Service
A NUMBER of Roman Catholic bishops believe that the United States had a hand in the worst political crisis to hit President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said in an interview yesterday over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
"Is our problem really within us or is it being promoted by powerful hands from outside the Philippines? Let's think about it," the Lipa archbishop said.
"Many bishops, including myself, are worried that this crisis, this conflict among our leaders, is connected with (forces) from the outside."
Arguelles, one of the more influential members of the 119-strong Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said possible US involvement in Ms Arroyo's political problems was raised in private conversations he had before the CBCP issued a statement on the crisis on July 10.
The CBCP's declaration it was staying away from calls for Ms Arroyo's resignation but telling her she should not ignore them altogether defused the tense atmosphere prevailing then. It was triggered by the release in June of the "Hello Garci" wiretap which the opposition said was evidence Ms Arroyo had stolen last year's election. Ms Arroyo has denied the charge.
Arguelles said there could have been a connection between the political scandal and provocative statements coming from former US Chargé d'Affaires Joseph Mussomeli, who had predicted that Mindanao would be the next Afghanistan.
Last month, the Inquirer reported that Mussomeli had prepared an analysis of the Philippine political situation, telling Washington about possible coup attempts and warning that Vice President Noli de Castro was unfit to assume the presidency in case Ms Arroyo was ousted.
Mussomeli was severely criticized in Manila for his reports to Washington that were leaked to the media in Manila.
US move a reprisal?
Arguelles said Washington might have been fomenting the political scandal as a way of getting back at the Arroyo administration for withdrawing a small Philippine humanitarian contingent from Iraq.
The Philippine withdrawal of its token force in Iraq was done to secure the release of driver Angelo de la Cruz from his Iraqi kidnappers who had threatened to behead him.
Arguelles also said Washington was probably "not happy" with the country's active relationship with China in business and defense activities.
"They are really afraid of that," he said.
The arrest of dismissed police Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino, a known ally of opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson, for espionage also didn't escape the bishop's attention.
Noting that Aquino was linked to some local leaders, Arguelles said the high-profile incident might also be connected with the political crisis. He did not elaborate.
One time, he said, the President had told him that "anti-GMA personalities in embassies" had been sacked. He said he was baffled by this report.
US will do anything
"The US will use the leftists, the rightists, (and) everything in order to achieve everything that they want to achieve in our country," he quoted a CBCP official as telling him. "It's difficult to say that but that is the reality."
Arguelles said he once aired his concern about the reported US involvement in the Philippine crisis when he ran into a group of Filipino-Americans during a visit to the United States at the height of the wiretapping controversy.
Asked if Filipinos were again poised to bring down a president, he replied to laughter from the group: "Why don't you ask your state department?"
Arguelles urged Filipinos to heed the bishops' call for prayer, unity and dialogue in the midst of the continuing political turmoil.
"We have to promote what is good for the Philippines, not what will destroy us," he said. "Time will come when we will disintegrate because we fight one another. But it might turn out that we were pitted against one another by foreigners."
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