Because of Pope Benedict?

According to the International Herald Tribune , the bishops had been leaning toward a call for Arroyo’s resignation, until Archbishop Antonio Franco, the apostolic nuncio in the Philippines, delivered a message from Pope Benedict warning the bishops against involvement in partisan politics. In an address to the bishops’ meeting, the papal representative reportedly made it clear that the Pope would be dismayed by a call for the president’s resignation.

Several Filipino bishops, speaking on condition of anonymously, told reporters that the speech by Archbishop Franco had swayed the episcopal conference against endorsing the resignation drive. When contacted by the International Herald Tribune for comment, the papal nuncio did not deny these reports. A spokesman for Archbishop Franco said that he had "shared some fraternal considerations with the bishops" about their statement.