GMA renew calls for national unity

Lapu-lapu city, Cebu — President Arroyo renewed her call for reconciliation to the political opposition here yesterday to join her "government of national unity," expressing confidence that a majority of Filipinos were supportive of her unity ticket in the May 10 elections.

Speaking in Cebuano, Mrs. Arroyo cited her own 12-member senatorial ticket in the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan para sa Kinabukasan (K-4), which is composed of former opposition leaders who heeded her call for unity, as the model of her planned "government of national unity."

The President particularly cited re-electionist Sen. John Osmeña, who was once the key leader of the opposition in Congress but accepted her invitation to be drafted in the K-4 senatorial ticket.

"Sen. John Osmeña used to be with the opposition but he is now with us. That’s reconciliation," Mrs. Arroyo said.

In her remarks yesterday, the President credited Osmeña as the "father" of the cell phone business in the country as he authored the law that mandated the interconnection of telecommunications companies.

This was the fourth time in a month that Mrs. Arroyo flew to Cebu but the first time she appeared with Osmeña since the campaign period started.

Osmeña joined Mrs. Arroyo with his controversial son, Cebu Vice Gov. John-John Osmeña, who is running for governor against two other pro-administration candidates.

The incumbent Cebu vice governor has been implicated in the alleged smuggling of a drug precursor while his father was accused of rape by a male prostitute.

The Osmeñas appeared with Mrs. Arroyo at the stage during a program marking the 483rd anniversary of the "Battle of Mactan" yesterday.

While the President urged Cebuanos to support the reelection bid of the elder Osmeña, she did not make the same endorsement of the young Osmeña and neither did she raise his hands.

Cebu has the country’s second biggest voting population next to Pangasinan.

At the same program yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo sought to highlight the heroism of local Cebu chieftain, Lapu-Lapu, as the country’s first war hero who unified the Filipino people in the battle against the country’s "enemies" then — the Spanish colonizers led by Ferdinand Magellan.

"Our enemies (now) are dirty politics, illegal drugs, crimes, terrorism. What is also important is to fight against poverty and we have to be united if we are to prosper," Mrs. Arroyo said.

"In my next administration, I would continue with my reconciliation initiatives and work for the government of national unity towards peace and development," she added.