The Philippines' most influential Catholic organization Sunday afternoon said that they would not join the call for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo.

According to the government media secretary Cerge Remonde, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is facing mounting pressure to give up her presidency for electoral fraud charge, is both " happy and humbled" at hearing the statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

"I think it also inspired her to pursue her determination of regaining the trust of the people, especially the poor through effective governance," Remonde said.

He expressed the hope that the statement would lower the current political noise.

In the long-waiting statement, the CBCP, which has the decisive influence over Filipino public opinion, said that it would not demand the resignation of Arroyo but also asked her not to simply dismiss calls for her to step down.

"In the present situation we believe that no single concrete option regarding President Macapagal-Arroyo can claim to be the only one demanded by the Gospel. Therefore, in a spirit of humanity and truth, we declare our prayerfully discerned collective decision that we do not demand her resignation," said the statement red by Archbishop Perrando Capalla.

Meanwhile, the CBCP demanded for a Truth Commission and "deeply discern what extent she (President Arroyo) has contributed to the erosion of public trust."

The CBCP brought no surprise to the government. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Presidential Management Staff chief Rigoberto Tigalo earlier expressed confidence that the CBCP would not call for Arroyo's resignation but for the rule of law and constitutional processes to end the current political crisis.

"I don't think they will do or say something that will heat up the situation more and cause violence that will hurt or make people suffer more," Ermita said.

"We are still confident that the bishops would recognize the rule of law. And after all, the presidency has a mandate, it has to continue, it has to finish its term," Tiglao said.

However, the mild attitude of the church is unlikely to stop the opposition's call for the president's resignation.

House of Representatives Minority Leader Fransis Escudaro said in a TV interview that they would still continue their peaceful call for Arroyo's stepdown.

"There is no other option at the moment. The resignation is the resolution with the lest destruction to the political crisis," he said.

Professor Tony Gatmaitan, a political analyst in Manila, said that the weaker stance taken by the CBCP was a result from the internal severe division on the call for Arroyo's resignation.

He dismissed the possibilities that the opposition would easily give up their call to oust Arroyo, saying that "many of them are still convinced that President Arroyo is guilty."

The Church has traditionally played a politically powerful role in this predominantly Catholic nation and was at the forefront of the popular revolts that put Aquino into power in 1986 and Arroyo in 2001.

Source: Xinhua