MANILA A resurgence of the “people power” movement after the death of Philippines democracy icon Corazon Aquino has damaged her successor and political foe President Gloria Arroyo, analysts say.

Critics have accused Arroyo, who initially came to power in 2001 when Joseph Estrada was ousted from office and was later elected in 2004, of seeking to amend the constitution so that she can remain in office.

But with tens of thousands of Aquino's supporters flooding the streets of Manila since Aquino's death at the weekend in an emotional show of strength, Arroyo is looking more marginalised than ever, analysts say.

For many, the massive outpouring of grief revived memories of the non-violent “people power” revolution she led in 1986, which eventually toppled the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and saw democratic rule restored.

“All of this outpouring of grief and the appearance of so many people appears to be a rebuke to President Arroyo,” political analyst Benito Lim of the Ateneo de Manila University told AFP.

“There was a political element there (in the public outpouring of grief).”

He noted that those who were prominently seen paying their respects alongside the Aquino family included leading members of the opposition.

Among them were former president Estrada, who was ousted by a popular revolt in 2001 that saw Arroyo, who was then his deputy, sworn in.

Mon Casiple, an analyst with the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform think-tank, said Aquino's death “raised the political bar against any plot to change the constitution in the service of an extension of power.”

Without any changes to the constitution, Arroyo will have to leave office when her term expires in May next year.

However, Casiple warned that Arroyo's allies, if they are unable to amend the constitution, could engineer a situation that would give Arroyo an excuse to scrap the polls.

Over the past five days Filipinos in their tens of thousands have braved lashing wind and rain to pay their respects to the much-loved Aquino.

More than 200,000 attended her funeral on Wednesday in scenes reminiscent of the wake for her husband Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino in 1983, following his assassination at Manila airport on his return from exile in the United States.

The murder triggered deep public anger, which three years later grew into a popular revolt that sent Marcos and his family into exile in Hawaii.

Aquino, fondly called Tita - or Auntie - Cory by the public, had led street protests against Arroyo before bowing out of public view due to cancer in March last year.

Many commentators at the time said the “Cory magic” had gone and she could no longer inspire the masses despite allegations of massive corruption levelled against Arroyo and her attempts to change the constitution.

Aquino herself rewrote the constitution to limit the presidency to one six-year-term after restoring democracy in 1986.

“I suppose she (Arroyo) has no choice now but to step down quietly,” when her term ends next year, Lim said.

Eddie Villanueva, a popular television evangelist who lost a presidential bid against Arroyo in the 2004 elections, said the throng that showed up at Aquino's funeral was “an indelible sign of a changing season.”

He called on Filipinos to continue with Aquino's fight to protect democracy.

“Where the current national leaders have failed to inspire the nation, she by her death indelibly showed to the country and to the world the kind of character Filipinos are really made of,” said Villanueva.—AFP