Serious accusations have been made against the President by Gov. Chavit Singson, which have led Cardinal Sin to call for the President to resign.
I am presently winding up an official trip to Turkey and am on my way to Rome for a previously scheduled audience with his Holiness, the Pope. I intend to return immediately. In the meantime, however, I must make my views regarding these events known.
I am the elected Vice President of the country. As such, I have accountabilities directly to the Filipino people. I believe that I was voted Vice-President to articulate in a substantive way the concerns of sectors who feel their voices are not heard.
I have been consulting with the people, and I have been listening to their concerns regarding our national agenda, our governance, and ultimately my proper role within the government. It is the people who voted me into office and it is they who can dictate to me.
Much as I appreciate the chance that the President gave me to serve the poor through the Cabinet position to which he appointed me, I regret that I can no longer continue to serve as a member of the present Cabinet. Accordingly, I have all on this day submitted my resignation as a Cabinet member.