President Joseph Estrada dug in his heels, ignoring Opposition calls for him to quit, as 50,000 demonstrators laid siege on Saturday to the Malacanang Palace. The 63 year-old former movie star found time to have breakfast with his family, Press Undersecretary Ike Gutierrez told reporters camped outside his official residence, as his 30 month-old rule lay in shambles after the army, the police and most of the cabinet pulled their support.
“He's there. He's quite sad,” Gutierrez said.
The President is going to issue a statement later on, he added without elaborating.
The chief of the presidential guard warned of bloodshed if the tens of thousands of anti-Estrada protestors enter the palace.
Vice President Gloria Arroyo would be sworn in as president of the predominantly-Roman Catholic nation at 0400 GMT whether or not Estrada steps down, a spokesman for the Manila archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin said.
Monsignor Soc Villegas said Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide has sent word that he is ready to administer the oath to the new president as soon as President Estrada resigns.
But if he does not resign by then, The chief justice will administer the oath anyway.

Bureau Report