President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that for as long as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has an armed component that engages in terroristic activities, the CPP will still be considered as among the groups that violate the country’s laws.

In her extemporaneous remarks during the presentation of suspected carnappers at Camp Crame in Quezon City this morning, the President said the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s armed component, has been engaged in atrocities and other terroristic activities, like ambuscades and extortion, especially in the countryside.

But the President clarified that communism itself is not illegal per se. She said that as a senator, she was among those who pushed for the passage of Republic Act 7636, repealing the anti-subversion law (RA 1700), thus making communism legal in the Philippines.

"Ang labag sa batas ay ang armed struggle to overthrow the government, lalo na kapag gumagawa sila ng terrositic acts (What is against the law is the armed struggle whose purpose is to overthrow the government, especially if it is engaged in terroristic acts)," the President said.

The President said that there are several groups that have been identified as communist or communist-oriented, specifically citing Akbayan and Sanlakas, but these groups, according to the President, do not have armed components.

"Basta hindi sila manggulo, basta hindi sila mag-instigate ng violence sa mga rally, wala rin silang problema sa batas (For as long as they do not create trouble, for as long as they do not instigate violence in their rallies, they will not have any problem with the law)," the President said.

The President said while there is an ongoing peace negotiation between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the CPP, she hopes that the NPA would stop its terroristic operations.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today challenged the Philippine National Police to "push harder, work better, do more" even as she praised the PNP for the significant strikes against criminals and the citizenry for taking a more active role in the administration’s all-out campaign against criminality.

"There is no rest until our streets are safe," the President said in Camp Crame where she revealed four successful strikes against carnappers in four days and the neutralization of three car theft gangs operating in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

She also lauded the people for their support in the fight against criminality, noting that more and more citizens are now doing their duty and helping the PNP by providing vital information against criminals and suspects.

"Over the last month, the PNP has arrested kidnappers, holdup men, carnappers, drug pushers – criminals who endanger our streets and our families," the President said.

"Our uncompromising drive against carnappers has resulted in four strikes against carnapers in as many days," she added.

Strike No. 1: August 7 in Bulacan, a residence used as a repair and repainting center was raided. Four vehicles, chop-chop (cannibalized) car parts and carnaping paraphernalia were recovered.

Strike No. 2: August 8 in Apalit, Pampanga, the leader of the Mayor Group, Andres Palabasan, Jr., and cohort Romy Arago were arrested. Citizen information was instrumental in the operation, the President said.

Strike No. 3: August 10 in Quezon City, a stolen Isuzu Crosswind was recovered two days after it was forcibly taken from its driver, Jefferson Espino, who was murdered during the carnapping incident. The possessor of the vehicle, Jose R. Samson, is now in custody.

Strike No. 4: August 11 in Pasay City, a stolen Mitsubishi Pajero was recovered less than five hours after the carnapping was reported to the police. Two members of the notorious carnap syndicate Mechure Group – Alvin Magpayo and Philip Andre Navarro – were arrested.

‘The full force of the PNP, particularly the Traffic Management Group, is conducting operations to hunt down identified members, and provide even more efficient solutions to carnapping incidents," the President said.

The President also said the citizens’ active participation strengthened the administration’s campaign against crime.

She said she was "happy to note that citizens who have been victimized by the suspects we have arrested and presented to the public over the last few weeks are calling up to report that they, too, have been victimized and that they want to file charges."

These victims who come forward only strengthen our cases against these suspects who have been caught in the act, the President said.

The President said she was at first hesitant to be photographed with the crime suspects at Camp Crame "kaya lamang, sa dalawang dahilan, kailangang gawin ko ito, lalo na sa araw na ito (but for two reasons I have to agree to do so, particularly on this day)."

First of all, the PNP has good news for the people, particularly for the victims of carnapping, about the four strikes against car thieves, the President said.

Malacaņang today said the government would pursue peace and development, especially in the countryside, by keeping its doors open for negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

In a press briefing, Press Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesman Ignacio "Toting" Bunye said it is the policy of the government to keep the communication lines with the CPP-NPA-NDF open while it abhors the use of "armed struggle" as a means to attain political ends.

Bunye stressed that mere membership in the CPP or any organizations espousing communism as an ideology, is not a crime.

Even membership in other leftist groups such as Sanlakas, Akbayan and the Partidong Komunista sa Pilipinas (PKP) of former rebel Luis Taruc are likewise not prohibited under the existing laws.

The legalization of membership in communist groups, he said, came after the passage of Republic Act No. 7636, which repealed R.A. 1700 or the anti-subversion law.

R.A. 7636, which was signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos on Sept. 23, l992, legalizes the CPP, giving it political space and allowing it to compete in the free market of ideas under a democratic society.

"What is abhorred and proscribed is the use of armed struggle to attain political ends," Bunye said.

He pointed out that there is no distinction whether such armed struggle was being done by communists or other ideologically oriented groups.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in her extemporaneous remarks during the presentation of arrested carnappers at Camp Crame in Quezon City, said that for as long as the NPA, the armed component of the CPP, continues with its terroristic activities in its aim to overthrow the government, the CPP would still be considered as among the groups that violate the country’s laws.

Bunye said that based on experience and past instances, the NPA has participated in criminal acts such as assassinations, ambuscades, kidnapping, extortion, arson and destruction of public or private properties.

"What I have enumerated are punishable under existing laws, specifically under the Revised Penal Code," he said.

"Our law enforcers are under instructions to protect our citizens against such criminal acts and activities and are urged to take the appropriate action whenever and wherever required," Bunye said.

At present, Bunye said the proposed anti-terrorism law, which is one of the pet bills of the administration now pending in Congress, would specifically address the problem of terrorism.

Malacaņang today said that the minimal increase in the price of oil products is dictated by world conditions but at the same time the hope that when the price of crude oil in the world market goes down, the oil companies would also adjust their prices correspondingly.

In his regular press briefing, Press Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that the price of fuel is principally dictated by two factors.

First, Bunye said, the price of Dubai crude has gone up by some 70 centavos over the last 30 days.

Secondly, there has been a slight movement of the peso vis a vis the US dollar, with the Philippine currency losing by something like 13 centavos during the last 60 days, Bunye said.

"So, expectedly, there will be an effect on the price of oil products in the Philippines," Bunye said.

But Bunye said the price increase is limited to certain products and does not include liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is being used by many households.

He reiterated that since the oil industry has been deregulated, the price of oil is really dictated by market forces.