Arroyo forms new cabinet

New Philippines President Gloria Arroyo retained old cabinet members, but added new ones who were associated with former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos. Arroyo retained former Presi-dent Joseph Estrada's Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado and Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes, saying there is no need for a major purge.

The defection of Mercado and Reyes helped tip the balance for the opposition, which ended four-day protest rallies against Estrada. Meanwhile, protesters held rallies to prevent Arroyo from appointing Mercado's wife Sussie Pineda as Health Secretary.

Former Defence Secretary Renato de Villa was named Executive Secretary. He helped negotiate the defection of the military to the opposition and the anti-Estrada protesters. He is closely associated with Ramos and Aquino.

Senator Raul Roco who became popular during the senate impeachment trial was made Education Secretary. Renato Corona, a long-time Arroyo associate, was appointed Presidential Chief of Staff.

Jose Lina, governor of Laguna province near Manila, was appointed Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, which oversees the National Police Commission. Vicky Garchitorena became the new chief of the Presidential Management Staff.

Garchitorena was one of the prime movers of the People's Congress, a coalition of well-heeled anti-Estrada groups, which sought Estrada's ouster. Paul Dominguez, Ramos' former presidential assistant on Mindanao affairs, was appointed Presidential Adviser for Regional Development.

Earlier, Arroyo announced the appointment of Alberto Romulo as Finance Secretary, and former Congressmen Hernando Perez as Justice Secretary. Arroyo accepted the resignation of former Philippine National Police Chief Panfilo Lacson who withdrew his support for Estrada on January 22.

Sources said he was forced to side with the protesters because he was found hatching a plot to destroy the protest rallies. Ramos and De Villa were behind the reorganisation of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, Arroyo has a short-list of four senators as her new vice president. They include Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Teofisto Guingona, Franklin Drilon, Juan Flavier and Ramon Magsaysay Jr.

Arroyo can function without a vice president at the moment, but not without a cabinet, said De Villa, adding the choice will be made later otherwise, the united opposition might collapse.

The petite Arroyo was indefatigable. She began work at 8am and ended well past 5pm. "She is the opposite of Estrada who had only one or two events a day, after lunch, during his time," said a reporter, who has been covering the presidential palace.

After 35 years of absence, Arroyo toured the presidential palace as president. She returned to the place where she grew up at 14 and 17, when her father was president from 1961 to 1965.