Dateline Manila, Philippines, Nov. 27, 2008

Opposition Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. spoke briefly with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at her dinner table in a reception last night in Manila. Senator Pimentel is the Minority Floor Leader of the Philippine Senate.

Senator Pimentel congratulated the President for her remarks at a side conference of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit a few days ago in Singapore where she said that the Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, should be freed soonest and democracy restored to Myanmar (formerly Burma).

President Arroyo told the ASEAN leaders that the ASEAN charter might not be ratified by the Philippine Senate if the Burmese opposition leader is not freed and democracy not restored.

The Philippine President told graciously Senator Pimentel that she took into consideration his group’s stand on the Burmese crackdown as expressed in the Philippine Senate’s resolutions.

At the same dinner-reception, Foreign-Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo confirmed to Senator Pimentel what the President said about the Myanmar problem.

Senator Pimentel informed by e-mail the MabuhayRadio.com that “despite my disagreements with the President on many other domestic issues, I support her stand on the Burmese political crisis.” # # #

Editor’s Note: The e-mail was sent to MabuhayRadio.com by the Office of Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., in the Senate of the Philippines, PasayCity. Readers may view Senator Pimentel’s website at www.nenepimentel.org. Filipinos may contact by e-mail also Mr. Pimentel at nenepimentel@pldtdsl.net.