MANILA, July 8 (Xinhuanet) -- US Embassy charge d'affaires in Manila, Joseph Mussomeli, said on Friday the US government remains committed to the rule of law in the Philippines, adding that it will oppose any extra-constitutional means to remove President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from power.

    "We are supporting the rule of law and the Constitution. Anything that goes beyond the Constitution, the US government will oppose including a coup d'etat, (imposition) of martial law or People Power in the streets," Mussomeli said in an interview with local television network ABS-CBN News.

    He added that under the law "the president is still president and it is within her legal right to replace her cabinet." But he said Arroyo's decision to call for her cabinet's group resignation was not exactly supported by US officials.

    "We are disappointed in that," he said, adding that some of thecabinet secretaries who resigned were "decent, good people."

    He said that the US military will not interfere in the Philippine situation.

    "It is our role as a friend of the Filipino people to express our disagreement and our opposition on anything that will infringe on their freedom," he said. "We don't have a specific agenda. We just want it to be peaceful and legal."

    Arroyo asked her cabinet to resign Thursday night to pave the way for a political shake-up of the country's political system.

    In response, 10 key cabinet members of her government quite en masse Friday morning and called on her to resign for the good of the country. Enditem