2006年VOA标准英语-Philippine President Considers Lifting Sta

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Manila
01 March 2006

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo¹ says she will lift the state of emergency she imposed six days ago over an alleged² coup³ plot "as soon as possible." The announcement marked Mrs. Arroyo's first direct address to the public since the day the emergency was decreed.

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Gloria Arroyo delivers speech on national television   
  

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Wednesday she had ordered the departments of defense⁴ and justice and the national police to give her a report on the security situation by Saturday.

Addressing the nation for the first time since announcing the state of emergency last Friday, Mrs. Arroyo said she would give up her controversial emergency powers once she was assured her government was no longer under threat.

She has said she imposed emergency rule after her government uncovered a coup plot by rogue⁵ military soldiers and her political opponents.

Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales gave no hint of what action he might recommend on Saturday, but he says he is not prepared to recommend the lifting of the state of emergency at this time.

"I think that the situation has leveled off, but to say that they have been really neutralized⁶ - but anyway, we have this 72 hours given by the president. As of this time, I'm not prepared to suggest a lifting," he said.

In the six days since the emergency decree was declared, the government has gone after its political opponents with a vengeance⁷, filing rebellion charges against at least 70 people, including 6 of the members of congress and several soldiers.

Police have also raided the offices of an opposition⁸ newspaper, confiscating⁹ documents and threatening the publisher with possible rebellion charges. The government has said it will soon issue "guidelines" detailing what can be printed, and warned editors against publishing anti-government articles.

Police say they will begin "visiting" television stations, radio stations, and newspaper offices on Thursday.

Wednesday, around 100 journalists defied the ban on demonstrations¹⁰ and held a rally in Manila protesting the media restrictions¹¹. Several journalists shaved their heads in protest before dispersing¹² peacefully.

Two international journalists' organizations, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have condemned¹³ the state of emergency, calling it an attack against press freedom.

Secretary of Defense Mike Defensor defended the decree, however, suggesting it prevented the country from spilling over into widespread violence.

"We may have disagreements politically, we may have problems and we may have debates. But in the end, I think, the bottom line is …let's avoid violence, let's avoid civil war," he said.

Senator Rudolfo Biazon says it is imperative¹⁴ that the government professionalize the restless and demoralized military, which has been responsible for a number of coup attempts and coups¹⁵ plots, against former president Corazon Aquino in the late 1980's, and Mrs. Arroyo in 2003.

1 arroyo   

n.干涸的河床，小河

参考例句：

• She continued along the path until she came to the arroyo.她沿着小路一直走到小河边。
• They had a picnic by the arroyo.他们在干枯的河床边野餐过。

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

6 neutralized   

v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• Acidity in soil can be neutralized by spreading lime on it. 土壤的酸性可以通过在它上面撒石灰来中和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This strategy effectively neutralized what the Conservatives had hoped would be a vote-winner. 这一策略有效地冲淡了保守党希望在选举中获胜的心态。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 confiscating   

没收（confiscate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• There was Mame by my side confiscating my intellects and attention. 有玛米坐在我身边，害得我心不在焉。
• Intimidate book sellers by confiscating books deemed unfavourable to the Barisan government. 充公被视为对国阵不利的书籍，威胁书商。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

12 dispersing   

adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。
• Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

13 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

14 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

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

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网