Gloria Resign Campaign

Posted by Alecks Pabico
PCIJ

REMEMBER eLagda? In 2000, the "dotcom movement" led by IT professional Vicente Romano III tried to gather one million sign-ups in 21 days to be sent electronically to then Pres. Joseph's Estrada to call for his resignation. Unable to gather enough signatures as a consequence of non-cybersavvy protesters and a president who, Romano thought, probably didn't read anyway, the groups' efforts shifted to an email barrage campaign that targeted government officials still supporting Estrada at the time, particularly the senator-judges in his impeachment trial.

Today, the same people behind eLagda have come up with another online petition-signing campaign  to clamor for Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down. On its website " Save the Republic, GMA Resign Now!" is a statement that reads:

We listened to the tapes. We read the transcripts. We believe GMA's conversation with Garcillano was more than just a lapse in judgment. And when you consider the fact that GMA appointed Garcillano as Comelec Commissioner in spite of his notoriety as an "operator" (one who engineers wide-scale electoral cheating), we can only conclude that the cheating was pre-meditated.

We can, of course, go through the process prescribed by law — impeachment. Meanwhile, however, we have a politically volatile situation that might encourage some sectors to pursue extra-constitutional means to seize power. And given the extent of damage on GMA's moral ascendancy, we believe she has lost the capacity to govern, much less the ability to transform this nation to a strong Republic.

The only decent thing for GMA to do is to RESIGN NOW, and let the constitutional process of succession take effect. By doing this, she can at least save the Republic.

If you believe, as we do, that GMA should RESIGN NOW, join the MORAL MAJORITY in petitioning GMA to RESIGN NOW.

As of July 8, 2005, the site has attracted 17,881 petitioners representing 17,268 individuals and nine organizations — a curious mix that includes the Judy Ann Santos Fans Club (with 5,000 members) , ERAP Fans Club (6,991), Bangon Pilipinas-Progresibong Kristiano (5,000), and Kapwersa Brotherhood (170).