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Ms Gloria Arroyo sworn in as
President of the Philippines |
Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took over as the new president of the Philippines today after Mr Joseph Estrada was ousted amid mass street protests.
The Philippines Supreme Court stripped Mr Estrada of his office after the military's senior command, the police and most of the cabinet followed the lead of hundreds of thousands of protesters outraged by the collapse of his impeachment trial on charges of corruption.
Ms Arroyo choked back tears as she took the presidential oath before cheering supporters at the EDSA shrine in Manila, the stage of the people power movement that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
"The Filipino has done it again on the hallowed ground of EDSA," she told the crowd, praising the peaceful "people power two" that helped sweep her into office within a few dramatic days.
"I accept the privilege and responsibility to act as President of the Republic," she told a jubilant crowd. "I do so with a sense of trepidation and a sense of awe."
Although the crowds on the street were much smaller than in 1986, Mr Estrada's position was severely weakened when the military and police withdrew support and shifted allegiance to Ms Arroyo on Friday.
Most of his cabinet also resigned and sided with his opponents. Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado said Mr Estrada's downfall was orchestrated by military chief General Angelo Reyes to prevent an outbreak of widespread and potentially bloody clashes as the numbers of protesters in the streets increased.
Mr Mercado said the turning point came when the Senate impeachment court voted 11-10 on Tuesday to reject prosecution evidence that Mr Estrada had amassed 3.3 billion pesos ($60 million) since he became president in June 1998.
Mr Estrada and his family left the presidential palace by river barge about two hours after Ms Arroyo was sworn in. He went to his private residence in another part of the capital and swore he would "live and die" in the Philippines.
However, it was rumored that he was preparing to flee abroad, possibly to the United States. Ombudsman Antonio Desierto said he would begin a pre-trial investigation of Mr Estrada on charges of criminal plunder on Monday. The charge is punishable by death.
Reuters