NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      MANILA (CWNews.com) - Philippine President Joseph Estrada and Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila continued to widen their public rift on Wednesday when Estrada backed off a suggested meeting to discuss protests over plans to change the country's constitution.

    Estrada had originally suggested a meeting with Cardinal Sin and former president Corazon Aquino, leaders of the 1986 People Power revolt that ended the reign of dictator Ferdinand Marcos and current leaders of the constitutional protests. The cardinal had immediately accepted the offer on Tuesday, but Estrada on Wednesday rejected the idea of the cardinal taking part.

    "I'd prefer to talk to former president Aquino and former president (Fidel) Ramos because they have experience in running government," Estrada told two major Manila radio stations. "Maybe the religious sector should first attend to the spiritual needs and moral values of Catholics," he added.

    Estrada has proposed changes to the constitution to remove provisions which restrict foreign investors in business and land ownership. Aquino and Cardinal Sin led tens of thousands of Filipinos in protest rallies last week denouncing the constitutional changes as an attempt to lengthen the president's term of office beyond one six-year term.

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