People will not support any power grab, solons say

Liberal Party Secretary General and Samar Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento on Monday said the people will not support any power grab because apart from the fact that the country is now in a better place than before, those who are behind the so-calledNational Transformation Council (NTC) are mostly political has-beens with no known accomplishments as former government officials.

He was reacting to the initial move of the resign movement which were attended by more or less 200 people in Makati City Sunday (Feb. 22).

According to Sarmiento, while a lot of people are angry and disappointed on the many aspects of the ill-fated PNP-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) mission in Mamasapano, Maguindanao which caused the death of its 44 operatives, this not a valid ground to remove a president.

He said President Aquino's solid accomplishments are theunshakeable foundations of his leadership and his strongest shield against political opportunists who use other people's misfortunes to serve their own selfish agenda.

Sarmiento added that people would certainly reject NTC's call to oust Aquino because apart from the group's questionable motives, the personalities involved are former government officials who have nothing to show in terms of accomplishments.

"Why would our people support a group of political has-beens who have done nothing to help our nation to bring down a leader who has done a lot for them? That wouldn't make sense," Sarmiento said as he noted that one of the NTC members was even given a chance to run a sportsorganization but was removed due to allegations of corruption, mismanagement and favoritism.

"They (NTC) have no credibility and have no moral basis to be calling for President Aquino's ouster,” he said.

Iloilo Congressman Jerry Trenas also belittled the NTC's call for the ouster of President Aquino as he pointed out that the majority of the people would rather see him finish his term.

"They would be lucky if they can gather enough people to fill a small gym in their call for another people power to remove President Aquino from office," Trenas said.

He said that under President Aquino, the country's economy vastly improved that the Philippines has even actually started paying off not just the interest of its foreign debts but also the principal and wasgiven multiple credit rating upgrades due to good fiscal management.

Also under Aquino, the government has managed to plug leakages on government projects and there is now a massive transformation of cities and municipalities nationwide due to massive infrastructure spending.

"There is even a bridge in the Ilocos Sur which took 36 years before it can be actually completed. The bridge was completed under President Aquino and now, travel is easier from Ilocos Sur to the tourism province of Sagada," Trenas said referring to Aluling bridge in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, satirically called as the longest bridge in the Philippines based on the length of its construction and was onlycompleted under the Aquino administration. (PNA)