Opposition deadline passes without word from Estrada

Resign or face massive march on your palace, Arroyo says

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MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Despite the passage of an opposition deadline demanding his resignation, there is no word yet from President Joseph Estrada on his next move.

Philippines Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had given Estrada until 6 a.m. on Saturday (2200 GMT, Friday) to resign or face tens of thousands of Filipinos ready to march on his palace.

Soon after the deadline expired, thousands of Filipinos began to march to the Mendiola Bridge near the presidential palace in a bid to force him out. The Mendiola Bridge, near the main drive leading up to the palace, is where Philippinos have traditionally gathered to express their displeasure with governments.

Renato Corona, Arroyo's chief of staff told reporters, "I hesitate to use the word negotiations. ... It's more like our panel telling the president he has until six o'clock to resign and leave, and if he does not this whole crowd will march to (the presidential palace) Malacanang."

VIDEO Former Philippines President Corazon Aquino comments on recent political events Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Maria Ressa shows the events leading up to top officials calling for Estrada to leave Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Thousands turned out to protest and to demand Estrada's resignation Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    GALLERY Scenes of protest across the Philippines    RESOURCES Chronology of Estrada's loss of moral authority in the Philippines    PROFILES Key players in the Estrada impeachment case    RESOURCES Follow a timeline showing President Estrada's recent political crisis    MESSAGE BOARD Estrada trial     ALSO Text of Estrada statement Philippines VP ready to fill Estrada's shoes Philippine embassy in Washington dumps Estrada

Arroyo -- daughter of the late Diosdado Macapagal, who served as the Philippines president from 1961 until he lost a bid for re-election to Marcos in 1965 -- had earlier rejected the embattled president's call for snap elections as key military and government officials defected to the opposition's side.

"That's illegal and unconstitutional," said the vice president.

"The president has not only lost moral authority to govern, but now has no government," Arroyo said in a statement in which she referred to herself as the "new commander-in-chief," according to The Associated Press.

Arroyo leads an opposition campaign joined by hundreds of thousands of ordinary Filipinos and unlikely allies from big business and left-wing communist groups. She would take over the presidency if Estrada were to resign.

Earlier, Estrada said in a televised speech that he would not run if Congress announces snap elections, to be held in May alongside general elections.

"This, I believe is the best course under the present circumstance," he said. "Since I still have the support of a significant segment of our people, I do not think that the present polarization can be healed by a new leader who will take over without an electoral mandate."

Estrada, elected president by an overwhelming majority in 1998, was on trial in the Philippines Senate on corruption charges, but that trial was suspended earlier this week when the Senate judges barred evidence the prosecutors in the case said would prove the president's guilt.

Protests erupted almost immediately. Nearly 150,000 demonstrators loudly demanded Estrada's resignation on Friday, joined by national police officials, the army chief and air force chief, many still wearing their uniforms.

Philippine Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Angelo Reyes resigned from the Estrada administration on Friday, withdrawing their support for the president and joining protesters in urging him to step down. Former President Corazon Aquino was also demanding that Estrada leave office.

Reyes and Mercado arrived at the historic EDSA Our Lady of Peace shrine -- located on an important artery in Manila called Epifanio de los Santos (EDSA) Avenue -- to wild cheers.

The shrine is the focal point of the "People Power" protests that led to the ouster of Marcos in 1986 and is now the gathering place of the anti-Estrada demonstrations.

Officials threw their support behind Arroyo, as the finance secretary, national treasurer and five undersecretaries also defected. Central bank Gov. Rafael Buenaventura said Estrada's entire team of economic advisers wanted the president to resign to help the Philippines "preserve the economy and the banking system."

Near the anti-Estrada demonstration, thousands of Estrada loyalists marched through the capital's Makati financial district on Friday when a rock-throwing clash with protesters calling for the beleaguered president to step down erupted near the Philippine Stock Exchange.

At least two people were injured in the battle, witnesses said.

"They (the troops) are authorized by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). A situation might arise and we must be ready for it," military spokesman Gen. Generoso Senga told reporters.

Meanwhile, a crowd of about 5,000 Estrada supporters occupied grounds near the presidential palace.

"If they remove Erap, there will be a revolution," said Myrna Casino, one of the leaders of the pro-Estrada group. Erap, which means "Buddy" in English, is Estrada's nickname.

Friday's crisis was sparked earlier this week when the Senate, sitting as judges in Estrada's impeachment trial on corruption charges, voted to bar a key piece of the prosecution's evidence.

All 11 men prosecuting the president quit in protest, saying the 11-10 Senate vote spelled doom for their case.

They said a fair verdict was impossible because so many of the senators were in the president's pocket.

In October, Luis Singson, the governor of Ilocos Sur state and a former friend of Estrada, accused the president of taking more than $7.7 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another $2.5 million in tobacco tax kickbacks.

Estrada has repeatedly denied the charges.

Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin called on Filipinos on Friday to join thousands of protesters gathered outside a church along Manila's EDSA highway demanding the resignation of Estrada.

Sin's call was reminiscent of broadcasts he made from a dissident radio in 1986 when he urged Filipinos to gather the at EDSA shrine and join an uprising against late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was eventually toppled from power.

"I am calling on all of you to stay at EDSA (shrine) the whole day. EDSA is holy ground. God is in this place," Sin said in a statement on Friday. "Do not go anywhere."

CNN's Maria Ressa and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)
Philippine House of Representatives

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