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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Douglas Bakshian
Manila
21 February 2006
Student protesters shout slogans as they block a busy street to call for the ouster of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo1 in Manila on Tuesday Feb. 21, 2006
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has vowed2 to complete her term of office, warning that neither a popular revolt nor a military coup3 will drive her from power early. Her declaration came on the 20th anniversary of the People Power "revolt" that ousted4 dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.
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Speaking to foreign correspondents Tuesday, President Arroyo made her position clear. She said she is the elected leader of her people, and she will remain in office until her term ends in 2010.
"I am the best person to lead this nation through this transition," Arroyo said. "I was elected to make difficult decisions and I have made them. Not without mistakes on my part and certainly not without significant criticism, but I have the experience of hindsight, and I aim to fulfill5 my term with a steady hand on the helm."
Mrs. Arroyo survived an attempt to impeach6 her last September on charges of corruption7 and vote-rigging. There have been ongoing8 calls for her resignation since, from both the opposition9 and one-time supporters such as former President Corazon Aquino. There have been numerous rumors10 of coup plots against her.
Coup rumors increased in the past week as the anniversary approached. The "People Power" movement is also referred to as the EDSA revolution, after the highway where huge crowds gathered to demand President Ferdinand Marcos's departure in 1986. Crowds pouring onto EDSA in 2001 also drove President Joseph Estrada from office.
President Arroyo says it won't happen a third time.
Gloria Arroyo (file photo)
"The world embraced EDSA 1 in 1986," she said. "The world tolerated EDSA 2 in 2001. The world will not forgive an EDSA 3, but instead would condemn11 the Philippines as a country whose political system is hopelessly unstable12, and the Filipinos as among the finest people in the world, but who manage to shoot themselves in the foot."
She also said that rogue13 military officers would not succeed in plotting against here because most of the army and police remain loyal. Shortly before she spoke14, the military recaptured a second soldier who escaped last month while facing charges of leading a failed coup in 2003. Three other soldiers accused in that plot remain at large.
President Arroyo repeated her call for a constitutional change to install a parliamentary system. She says this would bring increased stability, and there would be, in her words, "no more need for coups15, or sham16 'people power.'"
However, the idea is opposed by a large number groups, including the powerful Roman Catholic bishops17, in part because the proposal would lead to the canceling of the 2007 congressional elections.
1 arroyo | |
n.干涸的河床,小河 | |
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2 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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3 coup | |
n.政变;突然而成功的行动 | |
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4 ousted | |
驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 ); 革职; 罢黜; 剥夺 | |
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5 fulfill | |
vt.履行,实现,完成;满足,使满意 | |
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6 impeach | |
v.弹劾;检举 | |
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7 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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8 ongoing | |
adj.进行中的,前进的 | |
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9 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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10 rumors | |
n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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11 condemn | |
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑 | |
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12 unstable | |
adj.不稳定的,易变的 | |
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13 rogue | |
n.流氓;v.游手好闲 | |
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14 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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15 coups | |
n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 );政变;努力办到难办的事 | |
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16 sham | |
n./adj.假冒(的),虚伪(的) | |
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17 bishops | |
(基督教某些教派管辖大教区的)主教( bishop的名词复数 ); (国际象棋的)象 | |
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