La Salle-Ateneo survey prefers Erap over GMA

A recent informal survey conducted among alumni of the De La Salle and Ateneo universities show an "overwhelming consensus that President Arroyo must go and that her most worthy replacement is ousted president Joseph Estrada," the camp of the detained former president said yesterday.

According to a statement from Estrada’s camp, the survey — called "La Salle, Ateneo at Lahat Na" and conducted last May 9 — showed that 94 percent of the respondents wanted Mrs. Arroyo to step down, while only five percent said she should finish her term in 2010.

One percent had no response, the statement added.

For his part, Estrada — an Ateneo high school dropout — expressed gratitude that even members of the upper echelons of society had realized the "mistakes of the past."

"Perhaps this is their way of rectifying the mistakes of the past and their attempt to put forward concrete changes in government. In any case, this is yet another signal to the Arroyo government that disapproval of her administration covers all strata of society and is not limited to one sector," Estrada said.

Estrada reminded Mrs. Arroyo that the mandate to rule emanates from the people, citing his 1998 victory in which he garnered over 10 million votes.

"The voice of the people is the voice of God, and must be respected and upheld above all," Estrada stressed.

"If a mandate to rule is obtained by questionable means, it opens the floodgates to uncertainty and division. That in itself gives the people the right to question and to demand changes," he said.

According to Estrada’s camp, the respondents of the informal survey also chose Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Jun Magsaysay, University of the Philippines professor Randy David and Vice President Noli de Castro as possible replacements for President Arroyo.

Mrs. Arroyo, however, has shown no signs that she is willing to step down, despite continuing political pressure over vote-fraud allegations since last June.

Estrada, who was ousted during the EDSA II people power revolt in January 2001, is detained at his rest house in Tanay, Rizal and facing trial on charges of plunder and perjury before the Sandiganbayan.