Arroyo prays — rain or shine

An inter-faith prayer rally at the Malacañang Garden yesterday led by President Arroyo to seek divine intervention in ridding the Philippines of the illicit drug scourge turned into a prayer chant to stop the pouring rain from ruining the gathering.

The Drug-Free Philippines, which organized the event, saw its fervent prayers granted when evangelist Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Movement was asked to lead prayers for the downpour to stop.

As the rains threatened to abort the prayer rally, Villanueva took the microphone. "The Lord is not dead. He is alive and He is with us today. Let the rains stop."

Villanueva also prayed for the Almighty to "drive away the drug evils, which we want out of our midst."

The rained out anti-drug rally drenched the elementary and high school students, who were bussed to the Palace along with participants from the JIL Movement and other religious organizations and members of anti-drug watchdog groups.

The gathering was also attended by officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP), led by Deputy Director Edgar Aglipay, who heads the PNP Anti-Drug Task Force.

Mrs. Arroyo and several Cabinet officials led by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo and Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) Secretary Jose Lina Jr. were seated at a makeshift covered stage in the Palace garden. The covering over the stage, however, did not protect the country’s top officials from the rain.

President’s aides quickly got her a translucent raincoat, but gusting winds continued to spray rain onto the stage occupants.

"Mga kapatid sa Panginoon (Brothers and sisters in the Lord), this prayer rally, kahit na umulan (even with the rain), the Lord’s timing is perfect," the President said as she delivered her prayer at the rally through the downpour.

"This prayer rally is a timely response to the changes we now face," the President said. "This prayer rally reinforces our collective commitment to our faith. It enhances our spiritual values. It strengthens our institutions and moral rearmament through prayer and worship."

The weather eventually improved and, before the program ended, rain gave way to sunshine.

A deeply religious Catholic, President Arroyo has said in the past that God has mysterious ways of delivering His messages — messages one can decipher through prayer and daily Bible reading.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive thanked the Almighty for the successes scored by her administration in the intensified war on illicit drugs she launched last month.

"We thank you, Lord, for the gains that we have reached thus far in stopping the agents of evil and in the closure of their factories and trade, which have caused untold misery to our people," the President said.

"Divine Father, we need your abundant mercy and grace for the full deliverance of our nation from the demonic grip and disastrous effects of illegal drugs," she said.

The President also reiterated her instructions that the PDEA destroy confiscated drugs, saving only the amount needed for use as evidence in court.

She also repeated her instructions that the names and photographs and other necessary details pertinent to each drug case suspect be published and broadcast in media.