MANILA, July 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The statement issued Sunday by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) relieving president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has drawn different reactions from the lawmakers, local reports said Monday.

    Opposition Senator Serge Osmena said Arroyo should not yet jumpfor joy over the CBCP's stand rejecting calls for her resignation.He said the bishops' statement would not diminish or weaken the growing discontent of the people over the president's lack of moral ascendancy to govern.

    "The CBCP statement will not help her. If she's hanging on one string, maybe now she's hanging on two strings, but that will not help her, she's still on the brink," Osmena said.

    Osmena believed senate president Franklin Drilon and his colleagues in the Liberal Party will not reverse their position for Arroyo to step down.

    "I don't think former president Cory Aquino, the Makati Business Club and the Cabinet members who resigned would all backtrack on their position," Osmena said.

    Francis Escudero, the minority leader in the house of representatives, said he respects the CBCP's stand but stressed that the opposition will continue with its protest action until Arroyo steps down.

    Escudero said the CBCP also called for the creation of a truth commission, a move that is not within the constitutional process.

    Representative Gilbert Remulla, chair of the Committee on Public Information, one of five panels looking into the alleged wiretapped tapes of Arroyo's conversation with an election official, said the CBCP's stand will only further deepen the divisions in society since passions are reaching fever pitch.

    Even as the bishops endorse impeachment, the country's fate nowrests on a credible impeachment process, Remulla said.

    Representative Roilo Golez said the CBCP "does not subscribe toresignation but cautions the president not to ignore the calls forresignation."

    "Another very strong message is CBCP's admonition to the president to discern to what extent she has contributed to the erosion of effective governance and whether it is irreversible," Golez said.

    The Philippines' influential Roman Catholic bishops said Sundaythey would not demand the resignation of embattled president Arroyo over political scandals. The bishops supported the creationof a "truth commission" or the filing of an impeachment case to pursue the case against Arroyo. Enditem