Migrante joins call to protect Ong as Pres. Arroyo is cornered by tapes, jueteng and corruption

The MIGRANTE Sectoral Party today joined calls to "energetically defend the truth by protecting Atty. Samuel Ong."

"We call on all Filipinos here and abroad to unite in this critical period wherein the truth is about to be crushed by the forces of corruption and oppression. Any attempt to arrest and silence Atty. Ong will be met with the most militant indignation from the people here and abroad. This possibility may also hasten Arroyo's exit from Malacañang," said Migrante Sectoral Party chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado.

Atty. Samuel Ong ex-deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation came out and claimed on Friday that he had the "mother of all tapes" as proof that Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo cheated in the last presidential elections.

Arroyo is also besieged by allegations that her son and brother-in-law, both members of Congress, took bribes from operators of an illegal numbers game called "jueteng."

"The President has cornered herself with the corruption scandals besting her family and election fraud that hits her smack in the face. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is fast losing whatever support she has from the populace," Bragas-Regalado said in response to statements from Malacañang spin doctors saying that those calling for Arroyo's resignation are dreaming.

Ong has been holed up in the San Carlos seminary since Friday, claiming he was with one Sergeant Vidal Doble, an Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) agent who allegedly turned over to him wiretapped conversations, which would prove that President Arroyo cheated in the May 2004 elections.

"The people must help and protect Ong and all purveyors of the truth of fraud and corruption in the 2004 elections. We do not want the bogus president to remain in Malacanang," Bragas-Regalado said.

"We also support moves to get better, viable alternatives to the present regime. We are open to having a council of leaders from progressive sectors of society to help in selecting a new government that will replace the single biggest source of instability: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," she concluded. #