The presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, also known as the Arroyo administration, spanned nine years from January 20, 2001, to June 30, 2010. She served the remainder of
her predecessor Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
's term after
he was deposed, and she
was elected to a full second term in 2004 which ended in 2010. Arroyo is the daughter of 9th president
Diosdado Macapagal.
Arroyo instituted policies and measures geared towards economic stability and building a strong republic. As an economist, she laid the groundwork for a robust economy that weathered the global financial meltdown of 2008.
Administration and cabinet
Other cabinet-level and high posts
* Executive Secretary
**
Renato de Villa
Renato "Rene" Salud de Villa (born July 20, 1935) is a Filipino former police and military officer and government official. He served as Chief of Philippine Constabulary, Director-General of the Integrated National Police, and Chief of Staff of ...
(2001)
**
Renato C. Corona ''(acting)'' (2001)
** Alberto Romulo (2001–2004)
** Eduardo Ermita (2004–2010)
**
Leandro Mendoza
Leandro Ramos Mendoza (March 17, 1946 – October 7, 2013) was a Filipino politician who served as Executive Secretary of the Philippines. He previously served as Chief of the Philippine National Police and DOTC Secretary.
Early life
Mendoz ...
(2010)
* National Security Adviser
** Roilo Golez (2001–2004)
** Norberto Gonzales (2004–2010)
* Press Secretary
** Silvestre Afable (April - July 2002)
** Milton Alingod (2003)
** Hernani Braganza (2003–2004)
** Ignacio Bunye (2004–2008)
** Jesus Dureza (2008-2009)
** Cerge Remonde (2009-2010)
** Crispulo Icban, Jr (2010)
* Presidential Spokesman
** Rigoberto Tiglao (2001–2002)
** Ignacio Bunye (2002–2008)
* Presidential Chief of Staff
** Rigoberto Tiglao (2002–2004)
** Michael Defensor (2006–2007)
** Joey Salceda (2007)
* Presidential Management Staff
** Rigoberto Tiglao (2004–2006)
**
Arthur Yap
Arthur Yap Chioh Hiong (; 1943 – 19 June 2006) was a Singaporean poet, writer and painter.
Biography
Arthur Yap was born in Singapore, the sixth child of a carpenter and a housewife. Yap attended St Andrew's School and the University of Si ...
(2006)
** Cerge Remonde (2006–2009)
** Hermogenes Esperon (2009-2010)
* Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman
**
Benjamin Abalos
Benjamin Santos Abalos Sr. (born September 21, 1934) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the mayor of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila since 2022, a position he also held from 1986 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1998. He also served as a chair ...
(2001–2002)
**
Bayani Fernando
Bayani Flores Fernando (born July 25, 1946) is a Filipino politician, businessman and professional mechanical engineer who served as the representative for Marikina's 1st congressional district from 2016 to 2022.
Prior to his election to cong ...
(2002–2009)
**
Oscar Inocentes
Oscar "Oca" Inocentes (September 16, 1931 – February 3, 2017) was a Filipino politician who was chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), ...
(2009–2010)
Supreme Court appointments
Arroyo nominated the following to the
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...
:
Chief Justice
#
Artemio Panganiban
Artemio Villaseñor Panganiban Jr. (born December 7, 1936) is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 21st Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Philippines from 2005 to 2006.
Early life and education
Panganiban was born on December 7, 1936, in Mani ...
- December 20, 2005
#
Reynato Puno
Reynato Puno y Serrano, KGCR (Filipino: ''Reynato Serrano Puno''; born May 17, 1940) is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 8, 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unt ...
- December 8, 2007
#
Renato Corona
Renato Tereso Antonio Coronado Corona (October 15, 1948 – April 29, 2016) was a Filipino judge who was the 23rd chief justice of the Philippines from 2010 to 2012. He served as an associate justice after being appointed by President Gloria ...
- May 17, 2010
Associate Justice
Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...
#
Antonio T. Carpio - October 26, 2001
#
Alicia Austria-Martinez
Maria Alicia Austria-Martinez (born Maria Alicia Austria; December 19, 1940) is a Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2002 to 2009. She was appointed to the Court by President Gloria Maca ...
- April 9, 2002
#
Renato Corona
Renato Tereso Antonio Coronado Corona (October 15, 1948 – April 29, 2016) was a Filipino judge who was the 23rd chief justice of the Philippines from 2010 to 2012. He served as an associate justice after being appointed by President Gloria ...
- April 9, 2003
#
Conchita Carpio-Morales
Conchita Carpio-Morales (; born Conchita Claudio Carpio; June 19, 1941) is a former Ombudsman of the Philippines serving from 2011 to 2018. Prior to her appointment as Ombudsman, she held the post of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the ...
- August 26, 2002
#
Romeo Callejo, Sr. - August 26, 2002
#
Adolfo Azcuna - October 17, 2002
#
Dante Tiñga
Dante Osorio Tiñga (born May 11, 1939) is a Filipino politician and jurist. He served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2003 to 2009.
Profile
In 1960, Tiñga obtained his law degree at the University of t ...
- July 4, 2003
#
Minita Chico-Nazario
Minita Chico-Nazario (December 5, 1939 – February 16, 2022) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. She was appointed to the court by President of the Philippi ...
- February 10, 2004
#
Cancio Garcia
Cancio C. Garcia (October 20, 1937 – October 15, 2013) was a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on October 6, 2004, by President Gloria Macapagal A ...
- October 7, 2004
#
Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. - March 31, 2006
#
Antonio Eduardo Nachura
Antonio Eduardo Bermejo Nachura (June 13, 1941 – March 13, 2022) was a Filipino jurist who was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He took his oath of office as Associate Justice on February 7, 2007, and occupied the ...
- February 7, 2007
#
Ruben Reyes
Ruben T. Reyes (3 January 1939 – 13 September 2021) was a Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2007 to 2009.
Profile
Reyes was born in Hagonoy, Bulacan, and was married to lawyer ...
- August 2, 2007
#Justice
Teresita De Castro
Teresita "Tess" Leonardo-De Castro (born Teresita Jose Leonardo; October 10, 1948) is a Filipina who served as the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines; appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 28, 2018. She assume ...
- December 3, 2007
#Justice
Arturo D. Brion
Arturo Dizon Brion (born December 29, 1946) is a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He took his oath as a member of the Supreme Court on March 17, 2008. From 2006 until his appointment to the Supreme Court, Brion ...
- March 17, 2008
#Justice
Diosdado Peralta
Diosdado "Dado" Madarang Peralta (born March 27, 1952) is a Filipino attorney and jurist who served as the chief justice of the Philippines from 2019 to 2021. He previously served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines f ...
- January 14, 2009
#Justice
Lucas Bersamin
Lucas Purugganan Bersamin (born October 18, 1949) is a Filipino lawyer and jurist who currently serves as the Executive Secretary of the Philippines. Bersamin previously served on the Supreme Court of the Philippines for 10 years, first as an ...
- April 3, 2009
#Justice
Mariano del Castillo
Mariano C. del Castillo (born July 29, 1949) is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
After graduating from San Beda College, Del Castillo pursued law studies at the Ateneo de Manila University. He joined the judiciar ...
- July 29, 2009
#Justice
Roberto A. Abad - August 7, 2009
#Justice
Martin Villarama, Jr. - November 6, 2009
#Justice
Jose P. Perez
Jose Portugal Perez (December 14, 1946 – August 12, 2021) was a Filipino lawyer who was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 2009. He had served the Supreme Court of the Philippines administration from 1971, st ...
- December 26, 2009
#Justice
Jose C. Mendoza - January 4, 2010 (her last SC justice appointee)
First term (2001-2004)
Succession
![Arroyo First Oath](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Arroyo_First_Oath.jpg)
Arroyo's ascent to the Philippine presidency in 2001 resulted from the ouster of her predecessor Joseph Estrada through a peaceful uprising dubbed as Power Power II. On January 20, 2001, the Supreme Court declared the presidency vacant. The military and the national police had earlier withdrawn their support for Estrada. At noon, Arroyo was sworn in as President of the Philippines by
Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.
Hilario Gelbolingo Davide Jr. (born December 20, 1935) is a Filipino lawyer, professor, diplomat, constitutionalist and former politician, who served as the 20th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Permanent Representative ...
[Estrada v. Arroyo]
G.R. No. 146710-15.
(2001) Coincidentally, Arroyo assumed office the same day as
US President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
.
While the local media and its proponents hailed
EDSA II
The Second EDSA Revolution, also known as the Second People Power Revolution, EDSA 2001, or EDSA II (pronounced ''EDSA Two'' or ''EDSA Dos''), was a political protest from January 17–20, 2001, which peacefully overthrew the government of Jose ...
as another peaceful "
People Power
"People Power" is a political term denoting the populist driving force of any social movement which invokes the authority of grassroots opinion and willpower, usually in opposition to that of conventionally organised corporate or political for ...
," international views expressed through foreign media described it as a "conspiracy" to oust Estrada and install Arroyo as president. The ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' reported that Southeast Asia-based political economist William Overholt called it "either... mob rule or mob rule as a cover for a well- planned coup." The ''
International Herald Tribune
The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...
'' reports that the "opportunist coalition of church, business elite and left... orchestrated the '
People Power II
The Second EDSA Revolution, also known as the Second People Power Revolution, EDSA 2001, or EDSA II (pronounced ''EDSA Two'' or ''EDSA Dos''), was a political protest from January 17–20, 2001, which peacefully overthrew the government of Jose ...
movement."
Weeks later, Estrada filed a lawsuit challenging the legal basis of the Arroyo presidency and insisting he remained the lawful president, though adding he would not try to reclaim his post. The
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
issued its decision on March 2, 2001, asserting that Estrada had resigned the presidency and relinquished his post.
The court unanimously voted to dismiss Estrada's petition, reaffirming the legitimacy of Arroyo's presidency.
On May 1, 2001, a week after Estrada was arrested on charges of plunder, an estimated 3,000,000 protesters sympathetic to Estrada degenerated into violence and attempted to storm the
presidential palace to force Arroyo from office.
Four people died, including two policemen, and more than 100 were wounded in clashes between security forces and rioters.
After being dispersed the crowd had looted stores and burned cars.
Arroyo declared a 'state of rebellion' in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
and ordered the arrests of opposition leaders who led the uprising and conspired to topple the government.
The state of rebellion was lifted one week later, with Arroyo declaring "the disorder has subsided".
Support for the opposition and Estrada subsequently dwindled after the victory of administration allied candidates in the
midterm elections
Apart from general elections and by-elections, midterm election
refers to a type of election where the people can elect their representatives and other subnational officeholders (e.g. governor, members of local council) in the middle of the term ...
that was held later that month. Arroyo outlined her vision for the country as "building a strong republic" throughout her tenure. Her agenda consists of building up a strong bureaucracy, lowering crime rates, increasing tax collection, improving economic growth, and intensifying counter-terrorism efforts.
2001 midterm elections
The 2001 legislative elections and local elections were held in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
on May 14, 2001 - four months after Arroyo took office. Independent senatorial candidate
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949), professionally known as Noli de Castro, is a Filipino journalist, news anchor and politician who served as the 12th vice president of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under President ...
, a former television anchor of
TV Patrol
''TV Patrol'' is a Philippine television newscast produced by ABS-CBN News. It premiered on March 2, 1987, at the former ABS-CBN television network, replacing ''Balita Ngayon''. ''TV Patrol'' is the flagship national newscast of the network a ...
of
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...
was announced as the topnotcher.
Oakwood mutiny
The Oakwood mutiny occurred on July 27, 2003 when a group of 321 armed soldiers who called themselves "Bagong Katipuneros"
led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala and
Lt. Antonio Trillanes IV
Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV (; born August 6, 1971) is a retired Philippine naval officer who also served as a senator of the Philippines from 2007 to 2019. He is known for his involvement in the Oakwood mutiny of 2003 and the Manila Peninsul ...
of the
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy (PN) ( tgl, Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, , Sea Army of the Philippines) ( es, Armada de Filipinas, , Ejército del Mar de las Filipinas) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an e ...
took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center (now Ascott Makati) serviced apartment tower in
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
to show the Filipino people the alleged corruption of the Arroyo administration. The group also stated that they saw signs suggesting that Arroyo was going to declare
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
.
2004 presidential election
![Ph elections president 2004](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Ph_elections_president_2004.png)
Although the
Philippine Constitution
The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'', Spanish: ''Constitución de la República de Filipinas'') is the constitution or the supreme law of the Republic of the Philippine ...
bars a president from reelection, it allows for the election of a person who has succeeded as president and has served for not more than four years. In December 2002, Arroyo made the surprise announcement that she would not seek a new term in the
2004 Philippine general election.
Ten months later, however, she reversed her position and declared her intention to seek a direct mandate from the people, saying "there is a higher cause to change society... in a way that nourishes our future".
Arroyo faced a tough election campaign in early 2004 against Estrada friend and popular actor
Fernando Poe, Jr., senator and former police general
Panfilo Lacson
Panfilo "Ping" Morena Lacson Sr. (; born June 1, 1948) is a Filipino former politician and police general who served as a Senator for three terms: from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Director General of the Philippine National ...
, former senator
Raul Roco, and Christian evangelist
Eddie Villanueva
Eduardo Cruz Villanueva (born October 6, 1946), most commonly referred to as "Bro. Eddie Villanueva", is an evangelist and president-founder of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide (JILCW).
Villanueva was previously a communist-atheist, radical ...
. Her campaign platform centered on a shift to a parliamentary and federal form of government, job creation, universal health insurance, anti-illegal drugs, and anti-terrorism.
Arroyo lagged behind Poe in the polls prior to the campaign season, but her popularity steadily climbed to surpass Poe's. As predicted by pre-election surveys and
exit polls, she won the election by a margin of over a million votes against her closest rival, Fernando Poe, Jr.
Second term (2004-2010)
Inauguration
![arroyo inauguration](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Arroyo_inauguration.jpg)
Arroyo took her oath of office on June 30, 2004. In a break with tradition, she chose to first deliver her inaugural address at the
Quirino Grandstand
The Quirino Grandstand, formerly known as the Independence Grandstand, is a grandstand located at Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines.
History
Contrary to popular belief, the first Independence Grandstand was not originally located on the present ...
in Manila before departing to
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...
for her oath taking: the first time a Philippine president had taken the oath of office outside of
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
.
State of emergency
On Friday, February 24, 2006, an alleged
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
plot was uncovered in the Philippines, headed by Brig. Gen.
Danilo Lim
Danilo "Danny" Delapuz Lim (June 2, 1955 – January 6, 2021) was a Filipino soldier who served as Chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority from 2017 until his death in 2021. He was incarcerated at Camp Crame in Quezon City fr ...
.
The declaration of
Proclamation No. 1017 (PP 1017) gave Arroyo the power to issue warrantless (and until then unconstitutional) arrests and to take over private institutions that run public utilities.
Arroyo, through the
Department of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, suspended classes in elementary and high school levels. In response, colleges and universities suspended classes. By virtue of PP 1017, she declared a
State of Emergency
A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
for the whole country in an attempt to quell rebellion as her grip on power began to slip, to stop lawless violence and promote peace and stability. The government's first move after the declaration was to disperse demonstrators, particularly the groups picketing along
EDSA
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or citie ...
. Former Philippine president
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People P ...
was among those that protested, along with leftist and extreme right activists. A number of public figures were reported to have been arrested.
After the foiling of the plot and the dispersal of the rallies, PP 1017 continued for a week on threats of military plots (such as the military stand-off of February 26 at Fort Bonifacio headed by Col. Ariel Querubin), violence, illegal rallies and public disturbance.
Six leftist representatives -
Satur Ocampo
Saturnino "Satur" Cunanan Ocampo (born April 7, 1939) is a Filipino politician, activist, journalist, and writer.
As party president and first nominee, he led the party-list group Bayan Muna in three successful elections in 2001, 2004, and 200 ...
,
Teodoro Casiño, and
Joel Virador of
Bayan Muna
Bayan Muna () is a party-list in the Philippines, a member of the leftist political coalition Makabayan. The motto of the party is ''"New Politics, the Politics of Change"'', against "traditional, elitist, pro-imperialist politics". Its platform i ...
,
Liza Maza
Liza Maza (born 8 September 1957) is a Filipina activist who was the lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission under the Duterte administration from August 2016 until her resignation in August 2018. She was a member of the Philippine ...
of
GABRIELA Gabriela may refer to:
* Gabriela (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian feminine given name
* ''Gabriela'' (1942 film), a Czech film
* ''Gabriela'' (1950 film), a German film
* ''Gabriela'' (1983 film), a Brazilian film
* ''Gabriela' ...
, and
Crispin Beltran
Crispin Beltran, also known as Ka Bel (January 7, 1933 – May 20, 2008), was a Filipino labor leader. A staunch critic of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, his imprisonment in 2006 and 2007 on disputed charges of rebellion and sedition drew inte ...
and
Rafael Mariano of
Anakpawis
Anakpawis is a party-list in the Philippines. The party-list is the electoral wing of the radical trade union movement Kilusang Mayo Uno and the peasant group Kilusang Mangbubukid ng Pilipinas.
Known for its radical pro-labor and peasant stand, ...
- were charged with rebellion. Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis was arrested on February 25 on charges of inciting to sedition and rebellion. To avoid further arrest, the other five found shelter at the
Batasang Pambansa Complex
The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
The complex was initially the home of the Batasang Pa ...
.
On Saturday, February 25, the office of the ''
Daily Tribune'', a newspaper known as a hard-hitting critic of the Arroyo administration, was raided. After the raid, an issuance of Journalism Guideline followed, authored by the government in order to cope with the "present abnormal situation", according to then Chief of Staff Michael Defensor. The move to suppress
freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic News media, media, especially publication, published materials, should be conside ...
against the ''Daily Tribune'' was criticized by
Reporters Without Borders.
The decree was lifted on March 3, 2006. However the opposition, lawyers, and concerned citizens filed a complaint in the Supreme Court contesting the constitutionality of PP 1017. The court, on May 4, declared the proclamation constitutional, but said it was illegal to issue warrantless arrests and seize private institutions.
2007 midterm elections
Legislative and local elections were held in the Philippines on May 14, 2007. Positions contested included half the seats in the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, which are elected for six-year terms, and all the seats in the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, who were elected for three-year terms. The duly elected legislators of the 2007 elections joined the elected senators of the 2004 elections to comprise the
14th Congress of the Philippines. Arroyo's coalition won three senate seats and 123 seats in the house.
Manila Peninsula rebellion
A rebellion occurred on November 29, 2007, when detained Senator
Antonio Trillanes IV
Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV (; born August 6, 1971) is a retired Philippine naval officer who also served as a senator of the Philippines from 2007 to 2019. He is known for his involvement in the Oakwood mutiny of 2003 and the Manila Peninsul ...
, General
Danilo Lim
Danilo "Danny" Delapuz Lim (June 2, 1955 – January 6, 2021) was a Filipino soldier who served as Chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority from 2017 until his death in 2021. He was incarcerated at Camp Crame in Quezon City fr ...
, and other
Magdalo officials walked out of their trial and marched through the streets of
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
, called for the ouster of Arroyo, and seized the second floor of
The Peninsula Manila
The Peninsula Manila (colloquially Manila Pen or simply Manila Peninsula), is a 5-star luxury hotel in the Philippines. It is located on the corner of Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue in the Makati Central Business District. It is located also i ...
Hotel along
Ayala Avenue. Former Vice-President
Teofisto Guingona
Teofisto "Tito" Tayko Guingona Jr. (born July 4, 1928) is a Filipino politician and diplomat who served as the 11th vice president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004, during the first term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Born in San ...
also joined the march to the hotel.
Trillanes and Lim surrendered to authorities after an armored personnel carrier rammed into the lobby of the hotel. Director Geary Barias declared that the standoff at the Manila Peninsula Hotel was over as Trillanes, Lim, and other junior officers agreed to leave the hotel and surrender to Barias after the 6 hour siege. There was difficulty getting out for a while due to the
tear gas
Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...
that was covering the area where they were hiding.
Days after the mutiny, the Makati Regional Trial Court dismissed the rebellion charges against all the 14 civilians involved in the siege, and ordered their release.
Impeachment complaints
In 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008,
impeachment
Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements.
In ...
complaints were filed against Arroyo, although none of the cases reached the required endorsement of 1/3 of the members for transmittal to and trial by the Senate.
On October 13, 2008, the 4th 97-page impeachment complaint against Arroyo was filed at the
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish language, Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house ...
with the required endorsements by Party-list Representatives
Satur Ocampo
Saturnino "Satur" Cunanan Ocampo (born April 7, 1939) is a Filipino politician, activist, journalist, and writer.
As party president and first nominee, he led the party-list group Bayan Muna in three successful elections in 2001, 2004, and 200 ...
,
Teodoro Casiño and
Liza Maza
Liza Maza (born 8 September 1957) is a Filipina activist who was the lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission under the Duterte administration from August 2016 until her resignation in August 2018. She was a member of the Philippine ...
. The complaint accuses Arroyo of corruption, extrajudicial killings, torture and illegal arrests. The impeachment further raised the issues on "national broadband network agreement with China, human rights violations, the Northrail project, the Mt. Diwalwal project,
fertilizer fund scam
The Fertilizer Fund scam is a Philippine political controversy involving accusations that Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante diverted ₱728 million in fertilizer funds to the 2004 election campaign of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
...
, alleged bribery of members of the House, the swine scam under the Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation, and 2004 electoral fraud." The opposition complainants were Edita Burgos, Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico,
Jose de Venecia III,
Harry Roque
Herminio "Harry" Lopez Roque Jr. (; born October 21, 1966) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and former law professor. He served as the presidential spokesperson of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2017 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2021. He was the p ...
, Armando Albarillo, a human rights victim, Roneo Clamor,
Karapatan
Karapatan Alliance Philippines (commonly shortened to Karapatan, which translates to ''rights'' in Filipino) is a left-wing non-governmental organization and human rights alliance that conducts research and advocacy of human rights campaigns as ...
deputy secretary general, Josefina Lichauco, and representatives from civil society - Renato Constantino, Jr., Henri Kahn, Francisco Alcuaz,
Rez Cortez
Res Septimo Cortez (born January 4, 1956), better known as Rez Cortez, is a Filipino film and television actor and assistant director.
Acting career
Cortez's film career began in 1974, when he was introduced in ''Daigdig ng Sindak at Lagim''. ...
, Virgilio Eustaquio, Jose Luis Alcuaz,
Leah Navarro
Leah Lopez Navarro is a Filipino singer.
References
External linksgmanews.tv/story, Black and White group blasts PET for trashing Loren protest
Filipino women pop singers
Filipino jazz singers
Filipino people of Chinese descent
Assumpti ...
, Danilo Ramos, Concepcion Empeño,
Elmer Labog, Armando Albarillo, Roneo Clamor, and Bebu Bulchand. The justice committee has 60 days to rule upon the complaint's sufficiency in form and substance. However, the opposition has only 28 House seats.
Estrada pardon
On October 25, 2007, supposedly based on the recommendation by the
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
(DOJ), Arroyo granted a
pardon
A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the ju ...
to
Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
, who was convicted by the
Sandiganbayan
The Sandiganbayan ( en, Support of the Nation) is a special appellate collegial court in the Philippines that has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices and other offenses committed by public office ...
of
plunder and imposed a penalty of
reclusion perpetua
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society. The word is from the Latin ''recludere'', which means "shut up" or "sequester". Historically, the word referred to a Christian hermit's total isolation from th ...
. Press Secretary
Ignacio Bunye
Ignacio Rivera Bunye (born April 19, 1945) is a Filipino public official who retired in 2014 as Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a post he held since July 3, 2008. Prior to his appointment as monetary board member, he ...
noted that Estrada committed in his application not to seek public office, and he would be free from his Tanay resthouse on October 26, noon. Accordingly, DOJ Secretary
Raul Gonzales categorically stated in 2008 that an Estrada plan to run for president in the scheduled 2010 elections is unconstitutional; Estrada, however, disagrees, saying that he is eligible to run for president again, based on the legal advice he gets from former Supreme Court Chief Justice
Andres Narvasa
Andres dela Rosa Narvasa (November 30, 1928 – October 31, 2013) was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 1, 1991, to November 30, 1998.
He served as chairman of the Preparatory Commission for Constitutional ...
.
Martial law
In response to the massacre of 57 people in
Ampatuan town, Arroyo placed
Maguindanao under a state of
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
under Proclamation No. 1959. Executive Secretary
Eduardo Ermita
Eduardo R. Ermita (born July 13, 1935) is a former Executive Secretary of the Philippines and former spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Ermita took his Defense Resource Management Course at the Naval Postgraduate School, Montere ...
announced on the morning of December 5, 2009. In so doing, Malacañang has suspended the
writ of habeas corpus
''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
in the province except "for certain areas," enabling the military to make arrests without court intervention. Her proclamation constituted the first declaration of
martial law in the Philippines since 1972, when then-president
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
imposed military rule over the entire country.
Congressional bid in Pampanga
On November 30, 2009, after much speculation, Arroyo announced on the
Philippine Broadcasting Service
Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) ( fil, Paglilingkod Panghimpapawid ng Pilipinas), also known by its government agency Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS) (Filipino: ''Kawanihan ng mga Serbisyong Pambrodkast''), is a state radio network ...
her congressional bid for the
second district of
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
. A day later, she filed her candidacy under the
Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
Domestic policies
Economy
![President Arroyo (06-14-2006)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/President_Arroyo_%2806-14-2006%29.jpg)
Arroyo, a practicing economist, made the economy the focus of her presidency. Based on official (
National Economic and Development Authority
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA; fil, Pambansang Pangasiwaan sa Kabuhayan at Pagpapaunlad) is an independent cabinet-level agency of the Philippine government responsible for economic development and planning. It is headed ...
) figures, economic growth in terms of
gross domestic product
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a money, monetary Measurement in economics, measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjec ...
has averaged 5.0% during the Arroyo presidency from 2001 up to the first quarter of 2008. This is higher than in the administration of the previous recent presidents: 3.8% average of
Aquino, 3.7% average of
Ramos
Ramos is a surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin that means "bouquets" or "branches". Notable people with the surname include:
* Adrián Ramos (born 1986), Colombian footballer
* Aldrech Ramos (born 1988), Filipino basketball player
* Aleja ...
, and 3.7% average of the
Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
administration. The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in three decades in 2007, with real GDP growth exceeding 7%. Arroyo's handling of the economy has earned praise from former "friend" and classmate in Georgetown, ex-US President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
, who cited her "tough decisions" that put the Philippine economy back in shape.
Whether the official economic figures are accurate, or how they translate to improving lives of the citizens, however, is debatable. Studies made by the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
(
UN) and local survey research firms show worsening, instead of improving,
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
levels. A comparative 2008
UN report shows that the Philippines lags behind its Asian neighbors,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
,
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, in terms of
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
amelioration. The study reveals that from 2003 up to 2006, the number of poor Filipinos increased by 3.8 million, with
poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. When evaluating poverty in ...
incidence being approximately three times higher in agricultural communities. With regards the problem of
hunger
In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In the ...
, quarterly studies by the social polling research firm
Social Weather Stations
The Social Weather Stations or SWS is a social research institution in the Philippines founded in August 1985. It is a private, non-stock, nonprofit institution. It is the foremost public-opinion polling body in the Philippines. As an independent ...
show that the number of Filipino households suffering from
hunger
In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In the ...
has significantly increased during Arroyo's presidency. Her administration first set the record for
hunger
In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In the ...
levels in March 2001, and beginning June 2004, broke the record again seven times. December 2008 figures saw the new record high of 23.7%, or approximately 4.3 million households, of Filipino families experiencing involuntary
hunger
In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In the ...
.
A controversial expanded
value added tax
A value-added tax (VAT), known in some countries as a goods and services tax (GST), is a type of tax that is assessed incrementally. It is levied on the price of a product or service at each stage of production, distribution, or sale to the end ...
(e-VAT) law, considered the centerpiece of the Arroyo administration's economic reform agenda, was implemented in November 2005, aiming to complement revenue-raising efforts that could plug the country's large budget deficit. The country aims to balance the national budget by 2010. The tax measure boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the
Philippine peso
The Philippine peso, also referred to by its Tagalog name ''piso'' (Philippine English: , , plural pesos; tl, piso ; sign: ₱; code: PHP), is the official currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 ''sentimo'', also called ...
, making it East Asia's best performing currency in 2005–06. The peso strengthened by nearly 20% in 2007, making it by far Asia's best performing currency for the year, a fact attributed to a combination of increased remittances from
overseas Filipino workers
Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment. The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million be ...
and a strong domestic economy.
Annual
inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reductio ...
reached the 17-year high of 12.5 percent in August 2008, up from a record low of 2.8 percent registered in 2007. It eased to 8.8 percent in December 2008 as fuel and energy prices went down.
The managing director of the World Bank, Juan Jose Daboub, criticized the administration for not doing enough to curb corruption.
Early in her presidency, Arroyo implemented a controversial policy of holiday economics, adjusting holidays to form longer weekends with the purpose of boosting domestic tourism and allowing Filipinos more time with their families.
Charter change
In 2005, Arroyo initiated a movement for an overhaul of the constitution to transform the present presidential-bicameral republic into a federal parliamentary-unicameral form of government. At her 2005 State of the Nation Address, she claimed "The system clearly needs fundamental change, and the sooner the better. It's time to start the great debate on Charter Change".
In late 2006, the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
shelved a plan to revise the constitution through
constituent assembly
A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
.
EO 464 and calibrated preemptive response
In late September 2005, Arroyo issued an executive order stating that demonstrations without permits would be pre-emptively stopped. Then members of the military testified in Congressional hearings that they were defying a direct order not to testify about their knowledge of the election scandal. Arroyo issued
Executive Order No. 464 (EO 464), which prohibited government officials under the executive department from appearing in congressional inquiries without Arroyo's prior consent. These measures were challenged before the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, which declared some sections as
unconstitutional
Constitutionality is said to be the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution; "Webster On Line" the status of a law, a procedure, or an act's accordance with the laws or set forth in the applicable constitution. When l ...
. After a meeting with Catholic bishops and government laywers, Arroyo revoked EO 464 in March 2008.
Human rights
A May 2006
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
report expressed concern over the sharp rise in vigilante killings of militant activists and community workers in the Philippines.
Task Force Usig, a special police unit tasked to probe reported
extra-judicial killings, by state run
death squads
A death squad is an armed group whose primary activity is carrying out extrajudicial killings or forced disappearances as part of political repression, genocide, ethnic cleansing, or revolutionary terror. Except in rare cases in which they are f ...
counts 115 murders and says most of these are the result of an internal purge by
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
rebels.
Human rights groups put the number as high as 830.
These violations were alleged to have been committed against left-leaning organizations and party-list groups including
BAYAN,
Bayan Muna
Bayan Muna () is a party-list in the Philippines, a member of the leftist political coalition Makabayan. The motto of the party is ''"New Politics, the Politics of Change"'', against "traditional, elitist, pro-imperialist politics". Its platform i ...
and
Anakpawis
Anakpawis is a party-list in the Philippines. The party-list is the electoral wing of the radical trade union movement Kilusang Mayo Uno and the peasant group Kilusang Mangbubukid ng Pilipinas.
Known for its radical pro-labor and peasant stand, ...
. These organizations accuse the
Philippine National Police and
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
for the deaths of these political opponents. Arroyo has condemned political killings "in the harshest possible terms" and urged witnesses to come forward.
An independent commission was assembled by Arroyo in August 2006 to investigate the killings. Headed by former Supreme Court Justice
Jose Melo
Jose Armando R. Melo (30 May 1932 – 18 October 2020) was a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1992 to 2002. He also served as Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COM ...
, the group known as the
Melo Commission concluded that most of the killings were instigated by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
, but found no proof linking the murder of activists to a "national policy" as claimed by the left-wing groups. On the other hand, the report "linked state security forces to the murder of militants and recommended that military officials, notably retired major general
Jovito Palparan
Jovito Salvaña Palparan Jr. (born September 11, 1950) is a retired Army general, former politician, and a convicted criminal. From July 2003 to July 2004, he was the commander of the Philippine Humanitarian Contingent in the Iraq War. He also ...
, be held liable under the principle of command responsibility for killings in their areas of assignment."
Palparan, who retired on September 11, 2006, has been appointed by Arroyo to be part of the Security Council; this has alarmed left-leaning political parties about the potential for human rights violations.
Under Arroyo's presidency, the Philippines in 2006 became second only to Iraq as the world's riskiest place to report the news, with 46
journalists killed.
In her 2007
State of the Nation Address, Arroyo has set out her agenda for her last three years in office, and called for legislation to deal with a spate of political killings that have brought international criticism to her presidency. She promised to bring peace to the troubled south, and also defended a controversial new anti-terrorism legislation. Arroyo told the joint session of Congress that "I would rather be right than popular."
Lawmakers and lawyers, however, were dismayed by the SONA's failure to highlight and address this major hindrance to human rights. Specifically, the
Alternative Law Groups (ALG) echoed the lawmakers’ position that Mrs Arroyo failed to take responsibility for the problem.
In 2007, incidences of extrajudicial killings dropped 87%, with the decline attributed to the creation of a special task force to handle the killings.
Amnesty proclamation
On September 5, 2007, Arroyo signed Amnesty Proclamation 1377 for members of the
Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the
New People's Army
The New People's Army ( fil, Bagong Hukbong Bayan), abbreviated NPA or BHB, is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), based primarily in the Philippine countryside. It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aim ...
; other communist rebel groups; and their umbrella organization, the
National Democratic Front. The
amnesty
Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offici ...
will cover the crime of rebellion and all other crimes "in pursuit of political beliefs," but not including crimes against chastity, rape, torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs and other crimes for personal ends and violations of international law or convention and protocols "even if alleged to have been committed in pursuit of political beliefs".
Foreign policies
Iraq War
The Arroyo administration has forged a strong relationship with the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Arroyo was one of the first world leaders who expressed support for the US-led coalition against global terrorism in the aftermath of the
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
, and remains one of its closest allies in the
war on terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international Counterterrorism, counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campa ...
.
[CNN.com - Philippines begins Iraq pullout - July 16, 2004](_blank)
Following the US-led
invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Ba'athist Iraq, Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one mont ...
, in July 2003 the Philippines sent a small humanitarian contingent which included medics and engineers. These troops were recalled in July 2004 in response to the kidnapping of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz.
With the hostage takers demands met, the hostage was released.
The force was previously due to leave Iraq the following month.
The early pullout drew international condemnation, with the United States protesting against the action, saying giving in to terrorist demands should not be an option.
ASEAN Summit
Arroyo's foreign policy is anchored on building strong ties with the United States,
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
n and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
n nations, and countries where
overseas Filipino workers
Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment. The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million be ...
work and live.
In 2007, the Philippines was host to the 12th
ASEAN Summit
The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held by the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in relation to economic, political, security, and socio-cultural development of Southeast Asian countries. In addition, it serves ...
in
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...
.
Philippines-Japan trade deal
On August 21, 2007, Arroyo's administration asked the
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives as ...
to ratify a $4 billion (£2 billion) trade deal with
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
(signed on 2006 with the former Japanese prime minister
Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi (; , ''Koizumi Jun'ichirō'' ; born 8 January 1942) is a former Japanese politician who was Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2009. He is ...
), which would create more than 300,000 jobs (by specifically increasing local exports such as
shrimp
Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...
to Japan). Japan also promised to hire at least 1,000 Philippine nurses. The opposition-dominated senate objected on the ground that toxic wastes would be sent to the Philippines; the government denied this due to the diplomatic notes which stated that it would not be accepting Japanese waste in exchange for economic concessions.
Council of Women World Leaders
Arroyo is a member of the
Council of Women World Leaders
The Council of Women World Leaders, created in 1996, is a network of 83 current and former presidents and prime ministers. It is the only organization in the world dedicated to women heads of state and government. The council's Ministerial Initia ...
, an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.
Pardons
Arroyo granted pardon to the following:
* Former President
Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
(2007) - convicted of
plunder
* Pablo Martínez (2007) - convicted for being involved in the
assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., a former Philippine senator, was assassinated on Sunday, August 21, 1983, on the tarmac of Manila International Airport (now named Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor). A longtime political opponent of Pr ...
*
Claudio Teehankee, Jr. (2008) - convicted of
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
* Rogelio Moreno (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Rubén Aquino (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Arnulfo Artates (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Romeo Bautista (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Jesús Castro (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Arnulfo De Mesa (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Rodolfo Desolong (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Claro Lat (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Ernesto Mateo (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Filomeno Miranda (2009) - convicted for being involved in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
* Former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos (2009) - convicted of rape
Controversies
Fertilizer Fund scam
Arroyo was embroiled in
a political controversy involving allegations that
Agriculture Undersecretary diverted 728 million in fertilizer funds to Arroyo's
2004 presidential election campaign.
Hello Garci controversy
In the middle of 2005,
Samuel Ong Samuel Ong (1945–2009) was a former deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines and is a whistleblower, declaring that the 2004 national elections was rigged, starting an electoral crisis.
In 2005, Ong anno ...
, a former deputy director of the country's
National Bureau of Investigation, claimed to have audio tapes of wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and an official of the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
. According to Ong, the contents of the tape prove that the
2004 national election was rigged by Arroyo in order to win by around one million votes. On June 27, Arroyo admitted to inappropriately speaking to
a Comelec official, claiming it was a "lapse in judgement", but denied influencing the outcome of the election. Attempts to impeach Arroyo failed later that year.
Two witnesses,
Antonio Rasalan and
Clinton Colcol, stepped forward in August 2006, claiming involvement in an alleged plot to alter the results for the May 2004 elections. Rasalan claimed that he was fully convinced that the election returns presented at the House of Representatives were manufactured and had replaced the original documents. Colcol, a
tabulator for the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
, said that Arroyo only received 1,445 votes, while
Fernando Poe Jr.
Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...
received 2,141 in
South Upi, Maguindanao during the May 2004 elections.
On January 25, 2008,
Pulse Asia
Pulse Asia Research Inc. is a public opinion polling body in the Philippines. It was founded by Professor Emeritus Felipe B. Miranda (M.A. Political Science, University of Chicago) of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Pulse Asia Inc. wa ...
survey
Survey may refer to:
Statistics and human research
* Statistical survey, a method for collecting quantitative information about items in a population
* Survey (human research), including opinion polls
Spatial measurement
* Surveying, the techniq ...
(commissioned by
Genuine Opposition
Genuine Opposition (GO) was an electoral alliance in the Philippines that contested the 2007 Philippine general election. The alliance's members were in opposition to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It was originally called the United Opposi ...
per former Senator
Sergio Osmeña III
Sergio may refer to:
* Sergio (given name), for people with the given name Sergio
* Sergio (carbonado), the largest rough diamond ever found
* ''Sergio'' (album), a 1994 album by Sergio Blass
* ''Sergio'' (2009 film), a documentary film
* ''Se ...
) stated that 58% percent of Filipinos in
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
believed that Arroyo cheated in the
2004 Philippine general election. 70% also "believed that because of recurring allegations of election fraud, the credibility of the balloting process in Mindanao was at a record low."
National Broadband Network scandal
The
Philippine National Broadband Network controversy
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
is a political affair that centers upon allegations of corruption primarily involving Former
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
(COMELEC) Chairman
Benjamin Abalos
Benjamin Santos Abalos Sr. (born September 21, 1934) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the mayor of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila since 2022, a position he also held from 1986 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1998. He also served as a chair ...
, First Gentleman
Mike Arroyo
Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo (born June 27, 1945), also known as Mike Arroyo, is a former First Gentleman of the Philippines. A lawyer by profession, he is the husband of former president and house speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is the first ...
and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regarding the proposed government-managed National Broadband Network (NBN) for the Philippines and the awarding of its construction to the Chinese firm
Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company Limited (ZTE), a telecommunications and networking equipment provider.
The issue has captivated Filipino politics since it erupted in Philippine media around August 2007, largely through the articles of newspaper columnist
Jarius Bondoc of the ''
Philippine Star
''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, ...
''. It has also taken an interesting turn of events, including the resignation of Abalos as COMELEC chairman, the alleged bribery of congressmen and provincial governors (dubbed as "Bribery in the Palace"), the unseating of
Jose de Venecia, Jr. as House Speaker, and the alleged "kidnapping" of designated National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) consultant-turned-NBN/ZTE witness
Rodolfo Noel "Jun" Lozada, Jr.
Controversial dinner party
In late July 2009, Arroyo went to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to dine with her friends at a lush
Le Cirque
Le Cirque is a French restaurant that has had several locations throughout the New York City borough of Manhattan for more than forty years. It is currently closed, with its future status unknown.
New York City history
Le Cirque was establish ...
restaurant and was highly criticized for her supposed outlandish dinner there with the Philippine delegation during her visit to the United States. Arroyo and her group reportedly dined for the cost of $20,000 or 1,000,000 as reported in the ''New York Post'' (a few days before
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People P ...
died
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
).
Northrail controversy
The Northrail project was surrounded by a controversy since 1997. In 2004, Arroyo signed a
Memorandum of agreement with
Sinomach
China National Machinery Industry Corporation (also known as Sinomach) is a Chinese conglomerate with businesses in tool making, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, and infrastructure construction. In two particular areas of construc ...
and other contractors to construct a rail line from
Caloocan
Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
to
Clark Special Economic Zone
The Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone (CFEZ), often shortened to Clark, refers to an area in Central Luzon, Philippines.
The CFEZ in Pampanga covers portions of the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat and portions of the town of Porac whil ...
to be completed in 2010. Many opposition senators and congressmen opposed, arguing that the project could cost US$500 million; this has led to corruption in the Arroyo cabinet and a series of cancellations. After the rail line was constructed from 2009 to 2010, it was eventually cancelled again in March 2011, with no plans and foreign support to continue the project.
End of presidency
![INCOMING AND OUT GOING PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/INCOMING_AND_OUT_GOING_PRESIDENT_OF_THE_REPUBLIC_OF_THE_PHILIPPINES_02.jpg)
In November 2009, Arroyo formally declared her intention to run for a seat in the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
representing the
2nd District of
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
, making her the second Philippine President - after
Jose P. Laurel
José Paciano Laurel y García (; March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was a Filipino people, Filipino politician, lawyer, and judge, who served as the president of the Japanese-occupied Second Philippine Republic, a puppet state during World W ...
- to pursue a lower office after the expiration of their presidency.
A petition seeking to disqualify Arroyo from the race was dismissed by the
Comelec COMELEC or Comelec may refer to any of the following:
* Commission on Elections (Philippines) (Comelec)
* North African Power Pool
The Comité Maghrébin de l'Electricité (COMELEC), also Maghreb Electricity Committee and North African Power Poo ...
for lack of merit, a decision which was later affirmed by the Supreme Court. With little serious competition, she was elected to congress in May 2010 with a landslide victory. After receiving final military honors at
the inauguration ceremony of incoming President
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
, she headed straight to Pampanga for her own oath-taking as congresswoman.
Arrest
Arroyo was arrested on November 18, 2011, after a
Pasay
Pasay, officially the City of Pasay ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasay; ), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, i ...
court issued a
warrant of arrest against her. This followed the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by
COMELEC COMELEC or Comelec may refer to any of the following:
* Commission on Elections (Philippines) (Comelec)
* North African Power Pool
The Comité Maghrébin de l'Electricité (COMELEC), also Maghreb Electricity Committee and North African Power Poo ...
. The arrest warrant was served at
St. Luke's Medical Center,
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
where Arroyo had been confined. This and others resulted to corruption charges including her husband Mike and son Mikey. She was acquitted and released in 2016.
References
External links
Office of the President of the PhilippinesPresident Gloria Macapagal Arroyo official websiteReporter's Notebook: Ang Palasyo Reporter's Notebook Special, 12/04/2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Presidency Of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Filipino women in politics
Presidencies of the Philippines
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
2000s in the Philippines
2001 establishments in the Philippines
2004 establishments in the Philippines
2010 disestablishments in the Philippines
2010s in the Philippines