Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Tuesday rejected a proposal by a religious leader to form a coalition government with the opposition to end the country's political crisis.

Her spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Arroyo is willing to nominate some opposition members into her cabinet on a "case-to-case basis" but she does not plan to set up a coalition with the opposition.

"But it has nothing to do with the formation of a so-called coalition government," he added. "The administration is solid, strong, and able to effectively carry out its programs".

Brother Mike Velarde, head of the Catholic-based group El Shaddai, has called on Arroyo to give the opposition 60 percent of the seats in her cabinet as a way to seek national reconciliation.

Velarde earlier claimed that Arroyo was "receptive" to the idea of a coalition government and to elections in 2007 that would cut her six-year term by half.

Bunye said unity and reconciliation with the president's political opponents were welcome, but that it should be carried out with justice and the rule of law.

He was apparently referring to former President Joseph Estrada, who was charged with corruption and put under house arrest and subjected to a marathon trial by a special court.

Source: Xinhua