The dominant party in Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's ruling coalition closed ranks behind her on Saturday, supporting plans to change the constitution and move to a parliamentary system this year. The five-hour meeting of Lakas (Strength) at the presidential palace ended with leaders agreeing to keep her in power until June 2010, ignoring former president Fidel Ramos's proposal to cut short her term to end a political crisis. "Without objection, the national directorate approved the resolution firmly in support of the fulfilment by the president of her constitutional mandate to serve in office until 2010," a party statement said. "It also approved by resolution that all other contentious issues be left to the wise judgment of Congress and the people." Gabriel Claudio, Arroyo's political adviser, said Ramos, the president's most vital but unpredictable ally, supported the party position and helped draft the statement. Ramos declined to speak to reporters, but was due to hold a news conference later at Manila's international airport before leaving for a business trip to India. Ramos, unhappy at the direction of the planned reforms, had initially stuck to his proposal to change the constitution, hold parliamentary elections next year and make Arroyo voluntarily step down to end the political crisis. --more 21 35 Local Time 18 35 GMT
