Chief Justice Reynato Puno on Wednesday said President Arroyo's continued refusal to bare her political plans after her term expires in 2010 is feeding an "epidemic of ignorance" on the true political situation in the country, especially among the masses.

The Chief Justice said ignorance of the real political situation is "worse than swine flu." He said that aside from A (H1N1), the public should also be alerted to the possible ill-effects of a House-led Constituent Assembly.

"There is a severe lack of information among the people, which could guide them in their decision for 2010," he said in an interview.

Puno said the President should be open and honest about her plans for 2010 instead of stonewalling her critics. "It's very dfficult to speculate what's on her mind. But everybody should be honest about their plans especially if it has implications on the government and the people," he said.

Senate President Manny Villar, meanwhile, supported Puno's call while criticizing the lower House's plan to call a Senate-less Constituent Assembly.

Last Thursday former President Fidel Ramos openly challenged President Arroyo to make “a clear and positive declaration" on her political intentions in 2010.

"With precious time fleeting, (President Arroyo) must now make a clear and positive declaration to our people that she as President will transform herself and the nation, and not anymore delude our people, in particular her select circle of congressional cronies and family advisers, with titillations about con-ass and her future role as a Pampanga representative come July 1, 2010," Ramos said in his speech during a leadership forum on Thursday.

Ramos, a key ally of the President and chairman emeritus of the administration's Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, said Mrs. Arroyo could regain the people's trust if she decided to transform her image into one of sacrificial leadership.

Rumors had been circulating that President Arroyo is eyeing a congressional seat in Pampanga next year, with her critics saying that this may be connected to Charter change.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles, meanwhile, said the public should respect Mrs. Arroyo for keeping her cards close to chest with regards to her political ambitions.

"I think the president's plans are private and what she will do next politically is personal and will be something she and her own family will decide at the proper time. Maybe we should just concentrate on strengthening our new merged alliances in preparation for the elections," he said.

Cabinet Secretary Silvestro Bello III said the President has opted to keep mum on her plans next year to concentrate on her duties, and the public must respect her for that.

"We don't blame those people who would urge her on her political plans. But they also have to respect the President when she just wants to focus on her job. Anything she'll say won't please everybody [anyway]," he said in an ANC television interview.

Bello said the President may have chosen to conceal her plans next year to prevent further criticism from the public as the end of her term nears. Given this, he urged Ramos and other critics to respect Mrs. Arroyo's decision to focus on her current responsibilities.

"We still listen to [Ramos] considering his position and his vast experience in governance. But we have to respect the President if she wants to concentrate on her job. Politics is not her agenda [right now]. Let's respect her for that," he said.