SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo motored to La Union early this morning to give moral support to kidnap victim Rowena "Jackie" Tiu who was scheduled to testify today during the first day of her trial at Branch 27 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) presided over by Judge Antonio Carbonell.

"I must led my voice to the multitude of Filipinos who cry out for justice – speedy, impartial justice," the President said during a press briefing after having breakfast with the family of Jackie at the Capital Hardware store of the Tius on P. Burgos street here.

The President stressed that she refrained from entering the court because she does not wish to be misunderstood as interfering with the judicial process.

Jackie, who takes the witness stand today, is an example of courage, the President said.

"Others would fear doing this for fear of their lives and of their loved ones. I admire her courage and her sense of righteous indignation which will not be in vain," the President said.

"She will be protected and so will all those who choose to stand against crime and terrorism," the President added.

"I said we will wage this war against terrorism and crime on behalf and with the rage, of all the victims: those whose businesses were ruined by extortion, those held down in poverty by fear, those whose lives were snuffed out by addiction, and those taken hostage or killed," the President emphasized.

"We shall redeem your pain, we shall redeem your loss. Rowena and her family are no exception," she added.

The President reiterated what she said in her State of the Nation address last month that the ideal response to kidnapping by the law enforcers is exemplified in the case of Jackie.

The Chinese-Filipina kidnap victim was rescued in eight days, the ransom money was recovered, and her kidnappers arrested and are now in facing trial.

"Hers was the first and last kidnapping to take place in Region I (Ilocos) in my administration," the President said.

Noting that there are other residual matters to take care of in connection with Tiu kidnapping, the President directed Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to investigate the prosecutors who were responsible for the downgrading of the charges against two of the original suspects who were named as mere accessories to the crime and who were allowed to post bail. "One was able to abscond without even being arraigned," the President said.

"I want this issue resolved forthwith," the President ordered Perez.

Aside from Perez, those who joined the President during the press briefing were Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr., Agrarian Reform Secretary and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for Region 2 Hernani Braganza, State Chief Prosecutor Jovencio Zuņo and Teresita Ang See.

Courts records identified the suspects, all Chinese nationals, as Shi Chun, alias Jacky Sy Ocampo; Zhang Ximang, alias Michael Zang; Xu You Kwang, alias Johnny Chua Co; Shi Jian Hui, alias Jack King Sy; Lim Jiang Fem, alias Jason Lim; and Wu Lim Chang, and Zhan Du, alias Wilson Zang, who is out on bail.

The suspects were detained for about seven months at the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force in Camp Crame and later turned over to the La Union Provincial Jail to facilitate their attendance at the hearing of their case here.

The suspects, however, are now under the custody of the district jail of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Bauang, La Union, Lina informed the President.

"I have instructed the BJMP to make sure that the suspects will not be able to escape," Lina said.

During the past weeks, the President has been making the rounds of law enforcement agencies to expose kidnappers, drug lords, tax evaders, smugglers and grafters.

"This has paid off not only in terms of a solid outpouring of public support. This has paid off in more crimes being reported and more arrests being made," the President said.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union--The administration is against the legalization of the numbers game jueteng, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. said here today.

In a press conference at the Capital Hardware at P. Burgos Street here, the President and Lina said, however, that to legalize jueteng is a congressional prerogative.

"We are against the legalization of jueteng. That’s a congressional prerogative, to file bills and tackle them. On the part of the administration, certainly it is not an administration measure," the President said.

Lina, along with Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, accompanied President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit to this city to extend moral support to kidnap victim Rowena Tiu during the first day of her trial here.

According to Lina, the feeling in the Senate is that majority of the senators are also not in favor of legalizing the numbers game.

He said that there is now a snowballing move in the Senate and the House of Representatives to increase the penalties for jueteng operators because the penalties at present "are very light."

"Even if you arrest and arrest everyday, the gambling lords can easily bail out their collectors because the fine is only P400 to P2,000," Lina said.

Lina narrated that in San Fernando City, a jueteng operator was arrested about three weeks ago by operatives of Philippine National Police of Region 3.

But the operator, a certain Melchor Caluaug, was able to post bail of P10,000, and in all likelihood, Lina said, he is now back in business.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – If you witness a crime happening, call 117 immediately. If you hear something and have good reason to believe a crime is being committed or about to be committed, call 117.

This was the reply given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to private citizens who have been asking how they can help the government in its drive against criminality.

"Call up 117 because many cases have been solved very quickly because of 117," the President said, referring to the telephone hot line that enables law-enforcement agencies and public assistance groups to respond to emergency calls for any in any part of the country.

During a press briefing at the Capital Hardware store here where she had a breakfast with the family of kidnap victim Rowena "Jackie" Tiu, the President said her administration’s all-out campaign against criminality has heightened public vigilance against criminals.

She said the anti-crime campaign has paid off "in terms of solid outpouring of public support…in more crimes being reported and more arrests being made."

Hotline 117 is a centrally managed and secured telephone central monitoring station provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and operated by qualified well-trained personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and PLDT.

Telephones used by EMERGENCY HOTLINE 117 are equipped with the caller ID system to prevent prank calls and ensure quick confirmation and response to emergency calls.

During her press briefing, the President directed Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. to have "infomercials" on a series of cases that were solved because of 117.

She said that people would be made aware that they could really help by calling 117 when they see a crime or have good reasons to believe a crime is being committed or about to be committed.

The President also disclosed a report from Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. that the PNP-National Capital Region arrested this morning four suspected "Kotong Cops," policemen who are believed involved in extortion activities.

"As I said in my State of the Nation Address, we have to cleanse the PNP of the rascals that are inside and they are doing just that," the President said.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today stressed the importance of peace and order for the country to really speed up its economic development and for the government to achieve its vision of eradicating poverty within the decade.

In a press conference held at the Capital Hardware at P. Burgos Street here, the President said based on most economic indicators--like the inflation rate, interest rates and the unemployment rate—the government is doing well.

"If you look at these indicators, it means that we are on the right track," the President said.

She said even the business community has acknowledged that the government is "doing everything right macro-economically."

But the President said it is not only macro-economic management that would determine the investment climate but more importantly the peace and order situation.

"That is why we are now concentrating on the peace and order campaign," the President said.

The President, along with Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. and Philippine National Police Chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, were in this city to lend moral support to kidnap victim Rowena Tiu during the first day of her trial here.

The President expressed her deep sadness in the loss of a good public servant.

Secretary Roco’s resignation is an unfortunate reaction to what is after all the common situation of all public servants, which is to be open to all types of public complaints and to defend one’s self in a fair investigation. His resignation is even more unfortunate as the investigation that has just been started is also an opportunity to show these charges as unfounded. We are all bound by duty to resolve complaints from the people we serve.

Malacaņang shrugged its shoulders today on the reported plan of Jose Ma. Sison to retire in the Netherlands.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, in his regular briefing at Malacanang, said he expects Sison to use the funds that he solicited from various organizations in Europe for his planned retirement.

"If Joma Sison is thinking of retirement, I hope he enjoys it and I hope he has set aside enough funds from contributions he got from organizations that he has duped," he said.

Reports quoted Sison as planning to retire from the NDF as he said he has done too much already.

Sison, who has been out of the Philippines since 1987 along with a number of NDF members, enjoys continuous stipend from the Dutch government and receives funding from several non-government organizations in Europe.

The United States last week placed the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military arm, the New People’s Army, on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, making it illegal for US citizens and entities to give funding support to them.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed deep sadness over the resignation of Education Secretary Raul Roco, calling it the "loss of a good public servant."

In his press briefing, Press Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the President had an hour-long meeting with Secretary Roco at the Palace.

In a statement, Bunye said "Roco’s resignation is an unfortunate reaction to what is after all the common situation of all public servants, which is to be open to all types of public complaints and to defend one’s self in a fair investigation."

"His resignation is even more unfortunate as the investigation has just been started is also an opportunity to show these charges as unfounded. We are all bound by duty to resolve complaints from the people we serve," he said.

He added that the President looked forward to working with Roco again. "The President expressed her hope that the secretary would be able to work with her in some other capacity."

The Press Secretary quoted Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo as having described that the meeting between the President and Roco was very cordial.

Roco’s brother Rep. Ciriaco Roco, Secretary Marita Jimenez, Presidential Adviser on Oversees Development Asistance Absorption, and former Presidential Management Staff head Secretary Vicky Garchitorena were present during the meeting.

Bunye also said "there is no word yet" on who possibly would be appointed by the President to replace Roco in the Department of Education.

He also shrugged off claims from detractors that the administration dipped its hand to ease out Roco as a likely bet in the 2004 presidential election.