27 November 2003 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today said Philippine democracy has once more defeated attempts to destabilize the government.

Ople said the coup plotters must now go into permanent hibernation as the nation gets set to settle all political issues through the ballot, not through bullets.

The Secretary was reacting to the latest announcement of actor Fernando Poe, Jr. as an available candidate for opposition standard-bearer in the 2004 elections.

He said it is in the national interest that the opposition succeeds in selecting a worthy opponent to the incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“FPJ is undoubtedly a worthy opponent,” Ople said, adding:

“Senator Lacson and former Senator Raul Roco are also worthy opponents. But the opposition should complete their selection process to create the perfect symmetry for a peaceful, clean and credible election in 2004.”

Ople said the opposition mayors in Bulacan are preparing to join the President’s Lakas Party.

The Secretary himself has been offered the chairmanship of the Lakas Policy Advisory Council. Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., Lakas President, formally communicated the offer to Ople. “I will probably accept this honor after due consultations with Bulacan and Central Luzon leaders,” he said. END.