Various women's groups and individuals today launched a broad women's
alliance calling for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's immediate ouster.

BabaLa or the Babae Laban sa Katiwalian (Women Against Corruption)
includes in its host of convenors, former Senator Leticia Ramos
Shahani, artist Bibeth Orteza, former UP College of Social Science and
Philiosophy Dean Consuelo Paz, Gabriela Women's Party Representatives
Liza Maza and Luz Ilagan, feminist lawyers Evalyn Ursua and Claire
Padilla, Marietta Goco of the Magnificat Movement, Judy Taguiwalo of
UP Aware and Gabriela Secretary General Emmi de Jesus among many others.

Below is the BabaLa Unity Statement which was read by former UP
College of Arts and Letters Dean Rose Torres-Yu as well as the
complete list of convenors who attended today's press conference.

BabaLa
(Babae Laban sa Katiwalian)
Statement of Unity

Representing Filipino women from various fields and political
persuasions, we stand together with the Filipinos in the search for
truth, responsibility and justice amidst the turmoil currently
besetting the nation.

We express our deep outrage at a woman, Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo,
whose presidency has evolved into arguably the most fascist,
dishonest, corrupt, cynical and morally degenerate in this country's
history. She has betrayed the great and resplendent tradition of
heroism and integrity of women leaders and shamelessly disgraced the
Filipino people.

While most mothers teach their children the value of honesty, this one
has taught her family and country the enjoyment of corruption and
lies. She has channeled monies originally intended for education,
health services, housing programs and other such basic needs that any
human being desperately needs, into the pockets of her family and cronies.

While most women teach their students the value of responsibility,
this former economics teacher and current Commander in Chief has yet
to account for charges of electoral fraud, corruption, enforced
disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the economic dispossession
of many of our people. Whistleblower Jun Lozada's recent detailed
account of Malacaņang's trail of insatiable greed, bribes, kickbacks
and brazen acts of cover-up (including kidnapping) merely exposes the
latest example of Arroyo adinistration's penchant for evasion of
responsibility and completes the picture of a decadent and desperate
leadership.

As women who have consistently and proudly held the role of
safeguarding the formation and upholding of positive values in
society, we cannot helplessly stand back and allow Mrs. Arroyo's
morally bankrupt leadership to cast away our future as a nation. We
cannot allow a presidency that has survived through cheating, lying,
stealing and killing.

We join the Filipino people in saying that there is nowhere for Mrs.
Arroyo to go but out. Together, we aspire for a future where leaders
are true models of good governance and accountability to the people.
We are determined to succeed in our united fight to oust her from
office now. #

BabaLa!
Babae Laban sa Katiwalian

Convenors:

1. Sen. Leticia Ramos-Shahani
2. Bibeth Orteza
3. Rep. Liza Largoza Maza
4. Rep. Luzviminda C. Ilagan
5. Marietta Goco, Magnificat Movement
6. Prof. Judy M. Taguiwalo, UP AWARE
7. Dr. Rose Torres-Yu, former Dean of College of Arts and Letters, UP
Diliman
8. Dean Connie Paz, former Dean of College of Social Sciences and
Philiosophy, UP Diliman
9. Prof. Natsy Verceles, UP College of Social Work and Community
Development
10. Emmi de Jesus, GABRIELA
11. Atty. Claire Padilla, EnGendeRights
12. Atty. Evalyn G. Ursua
13. Tess Casenas, Women and Gender Commission, AMRSP
14. Jojo Guan, Center for Women's Resources
15. Evelyn Muallil, WOMEN MARCH!
16. Connie Bragas Regalado, Migrante International
17. Rechilda Extremadura, Lila Pilipina
18. Nerissa Guerrero, SAMAKANA
19. Nikki Gamara, Sigma Delta Pi Sorority-UP Manila
20. Camz Marquina, Sigma Delta Pi Sorority-UP Manila
21. Catherine Dela Rosa, Manila Collegian
22. Joan de Castro, UP Manila Tagamasid
23. Fajima Tajar, STAND-UP
24. Regiene Pangahas, UP Diliman
25. Annete Visbal, EnGendeRights
26. Lucy Francisco, GABRIELA-Panay
27. Lana Linaban, GABRIELA
28. Cristina Palabay, Gabriela Women's Party
29. Joms Salvador, GABRIELA
30. Ma. Esmeralda Macaspac, SALINLAHI Alliance for Children's Concerns
31. Amina Rasul
32. Adel Raymundo, Ilaw at Buklod ng Tahanan Inc.
33. Shahana Abdulwahid, UP Student Regent
34. Vanessa Faye Bomibol, University Student Council
35. Malou Jarabe, INSA, Miriam College