2006年VOA标准英语-Arroyo Firm as Opponents Begin Legal Chall

By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
07 March 2006

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo¹ (File photo)  
  
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has sent a warning to her opponents, saying she will not hesitate to use her emergency powers again to fight those trying to bring down her administration. But her critics have gone to the nation's highest court to challenge her legal powers. Last Friday, Mrs. Arroyo lifted a weeklong state of emergency she imposed to foil a coup² plot.

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Speaking in an interview with G.M.A. radio Mrs. Arroyo described herself as a strong believer in democracy, but said she is monitoring events and will not hesitate to do what needs to be done to uphold the law. She also warned that people who abuse their freedom, and install groups that will one day destroy freedoms, should be stopped. She singled out communists who she says conspire³ with the extreme right.

Mrs. Arroyo imposed a state of emergency February 24 to foil what she said was a coup plot by opposition⁴ politicians, extreme leftists and military officers. A week later, she lifted the measure, saying the immediate⁵ danger to her government had passed.

On Tuesday, her critics began a legal challenge to her powers. The Philippines Supreme⁶ Court heard oral arguments as it considers seven petitions that want the emergency decree to be declared unconstitutional. Court spokesman Ismael Khan says it will be weeks before a ruling because several legal steps follow the oral arguments.

"Each party will be given 10 days to put his arguments in writing," said Khan. "At the end of which time the court will consider the matter ready for decision. And you can expect a decision to be promulgated⁷ within one or two weeks from that time."

The emergency allowed the government to ban rallies, to arrest people without warrants and to crackdown on the media. In the wake of the measure, one leftwing legislator has been charged with rebellion and five other leftist lawmakers have taken shelter in Congress to avoid arrest.

In the Philippines Senate, two subcommittees have been formed to look into possible unconstitutional acts committed under the emergency decree. One panel will look into arrests without warrants and the cancellation⁸ of rally permits. The other will consider possible violations⁹ of freedom of speech and the press, including a police raid on a newspaper's offices.

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 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。

3 conspire   

v.密谋，（事件等）巧合，共同导致

参考例句：

• They'd conspired to overthrow the government.他们曾经密谋推翻政府。
• History and geography have conspired to bring Greece to a moment of decision.历史和地理因素共同将希腊推至作出抉择的紧要关头。

4 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。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 promulgated   

v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等）

参考例句：

• Hence China has promulgated more than 30 relevant laws, statutes and regulations. 中国为此颁布的法律、法规和规章多达３０余项。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The shipping industry promulgated a voluntary code. 航运业对自律守则进行了宣传。 来自辞典例句

8 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

9 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。