ramos takes a swipe at the govt of gloring

UPDATE) Ramos takes swipe at 'corruption' in Arroyo gov't

MANILA, Philippines -- Former President Fidel Ramos lamented Friday
how the gains of the 1986 and 2001 "people power" uprisings were being
lost to "greed, apathy, and corruption," in an apparent swipe at the
administration.

Speaking before an audience that includes President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo, Ramos, one of the key players in the 1986 revolt, also issued
a call to action: "History might yet call us to come together again --
to offer our lives and fortunes on the altar of our civic leaders."

He said there were "oligarchies, dynasties, [and] opportunists [that
we have] yet to banish"

"It is customary nowadays to denigrate the EDSA events -- perhaps
because the greed, the apathy, the corruption we brought down then are
once again rearing their heads," Ramos said.

"Ironically, Filipinos have always found it easier to die for our
country -- than to live for it. Times of peace and social stability,
we seem to fritter away in bickering -- in quarreling like crabs
caught in a bamboo trap -- with each one pursuing his or her self-
interest," he said.

Ramos and Arroyo were at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes Cemetery)
where the President laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
to mark celebrations for the 22nd anniversary of the 1986 People Power
revolt.

"Around the world, the Philippines included, there are new tyrannies
in the form of self-serving leaders, immoderately greedy autocrats,
and cliques of corrupt officials that we still confront," he said.

Arroyo is fighting off fresh calls for her resignation triggered by
allegations that her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, and
former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos allegedly
pocketed kickbacks from the overprice of the government's $329-million
contract with China' ZTE Corp. for the national broadband network
(NBN) project.

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