The government of embattled Philippine leader Joseph Estrada collapsed on Friday as his key Cabinet supporters defected, including armed forces chief of staff general Angelo Reyes. To loud cheers from tens of thousands of demonstrators protesting in central Manila, Reyes said that the military had withdrawn its support for Estrada and thrown its zacking behind Vice President Gloria Arroyo. Other top generals also joined a mammoth rally against the president gathered at a shrine, which was the focus of the 1986 protests, which toppled former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. "On behalf of your armed forces, the 130,000-strong members of the armed forces, we wish to announce that we are withdrawing our support to this government," Reyes said. Reyes told a news conference that to start the healing process, "We are allowing President Estrada and members of his family to exit with dignity. Let us not be vindictive." Tens of thousands of Filipinos have been gathering outside the suburban Manila religious shrine since Wednesday calling on Estrada to resign, after his trial on serious charges of corruption all but collapsed. The resignations came as the culmination of months of protests, which reached a peak when the impeached president's trial was suspended on Wednesday and denounced by the prosecution as a charade. Estrada, the former movie star turned politician, face charges of receiving bribes from illegal gambling bosses, siphoning off public funds and protecting a friend involved in an insider trading scandal. Bureau Report