The Pangasinan Star ONLINE

By Gabriel L. Cardinoza

ACTRESS Susan Roces, in a sentimental homecoming to her late husband’s province last Friday, rallied Pangasinenses to reject the leadership of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying it is “dubious.”

“Ayaw natin sa kanya dahil duda tayo sa pagka-panalo niya. Hindi natin matatanggap na mamumuno sa atin ay kaduda-duda,” Ms. Roces told a rally crowd of about 1,000 at the city plaza here that cheered her pronouncements.

Pangasinan is the homeprovince of Ms. Roces’ late husband, actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr. Poe hails from San Carlos City, in this province. Ms Roces was guest in a student symposium at the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation this morning. She also met with the late FPJ’s relatives in that city.

She called on Pangasinenses to use their rights as citizens. “I have chosen to be silent. But I realized it’s wrong. We must speak out. Masyado na tayong inaabuso,” she said.

Roces, whose real name is Jesusa Sonora, however, clarified that while she is one with the Filipino people’s aspirations for a change in the country’s leadership, she will not involve herself in something that is illegal.

“Let’s be patient,” she said. “Let’s observe how the impeachment process will progress in Congress,” she advised.

Asked pointedly during an interview, whether she was willing to replace Arroyo if the President ever steps down or is ousted, she declined any such assumption, saying she is not interested even if the people push her to the position.

“I’m not going to accept it. We should follow the Constitution,” she said.

The veteran actress who had stayed out of the silver screen since she became wife to FPJ added that if there is doubt in the Vice President, then “there’s the Senate President, who will then have to call for a snap election.”

This is why, she quickly added, the cleansing of the Commission on Elections should begin now to make it a credible body.

“In a few days, we will have the ARMM elections. How can the Comelec be credible if the 2004 election results are doubtful?” Roces said.

FPJ won by almost 50,000 votes over Mrs. Arroyo in Pangasinan, the maternal home province of the President. Her late mother, Dona Eva Macaraeg Macapagal, is from Binalonan town.

The rally was held after a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Oscar Cruz in the nearby St. John Cathedral.

Among the prominent local political leaders in attendance were Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim, former Pangasinan Gov. Oscar Orbos, former Rep. Teodoro Cruz and former Agrarian Reform Minister Conrado Estrella. At least four municipal mayors were also seen in the crowd of greeters of the visiting actress-widow.

Lim, who ran for reelection under the administration Lakas-CMD party in 2004, introduced Roces during the rally as “the First Lady of a truly elected President.”

Lim had asked Arroyo last month to resign from the Presidency as a supreme sacrifice.

“I’m very much touched. I know that even before, Mayor Lim has supported FPJ,” Roces said in reaction to the warm welcome she got from Dagupan City during a news conference.