President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to institute appropriate measures that would stop speculations on the peso and arrest its slide in the currency exchange market.

"Through the national government representative in the Monetary Board, I have asked the Central bank to crack the whip on speculators and to use feasible monetary tools to stabilize the currency exchange market," the President said in her keynote speech at the opening of the 1^st Conference of Royal Sultanates on Unified and Effective Governance held this morning at the Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel.

The President said the government has the means to cushion effects of the slide in the peso in the overall state of the economy.

She said that the "unfortunate brew" of destabilization, black propaganda, and character assassination as political tools has affected the performance of the peso.

"But we are consolidating rapidly and we hope that the distraction of poisonous political controversies will die down soon," the President said.

The President said that too much politicking should be set aside and that the country’s institutions should close ranks behind a serious drive for productivity, reforms and stability.

"We have to shake off the distraction of day-to-day controversies and devote ourselves to the essential tasks of development and reforms," she said.

Attending the two-day gathering were the Royal Sultanates of Mindanao and Sulu, the 16 Royal Houses of Lanao and members of the royal sultanates of neighboring Malaysia.

The conference is aimed at tapping the sultanates to become active partners of the government in forging a lasting peace, stability and sustainable development in Mindanao.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said that the government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are now on the last stage of forging a lasting peace and stability in Mindanao.

In her keynote speech at the opening of the 1^st Conference of Royal Sultanates on Unified and Effective Governance held this morning at the Manila Hotel, the President said she is hopeful that the scheduled peace talks between the government and MILF in Kuala Lumpur would finally bring peace to Mindanao.

"The Muslims, Christians and lumads (natives) of Mindanao, and the Filipino people all wait upon our efforts to forge a lasting peace. I shall not disappoint you," the President said.

The President said that the peace talks in Kuala Lumpur would be the last hurdle before a "truly comprehensive and durable settlement" of the decades-old conflict in Mindanao can be achieved.

She said that the peace talks would also give the country the moral armor in fighting terrorism.

"For as we consolidate our communities for peace and development, we will also mop up the poverty and inequity that is the spawning ground for terrorist recruits," the President said.

The President also emphasized that the mandates of the Constitution, the rule of law and the principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity are primordial principles of our nationhood, which must never be torn asunder.

But the President also stressed that the government will uphold the Bangsamoro identity in accordance with the principle of institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions, to the applause of the participants.

"We shall uphold the Bangsamoro cultural rights and way of life as well as the rights to socio-economic development and ancestral domain," the President said.

She added that the Philippine sultanates are cherished historical institutions that must be upheld and celebrated as part of our historical realm, citing in particular the Sultanate of Sulu, which has been recognized by our neighboring countries.

Describing the sultans as "temporal and spiritual leaders," the President said that Filipino Muslims will continue to look up to them or identify with them as a matter of tradition.

"Today, our sultanates must be at the vanguard of peace and development of Mindanao," the President said, as she asked them to add their "own fine stone" to the building of a strong Philippine Republic.

The President said that Muslim Mindanao has suffered economic exclusion for so many years and this has led to severe deprivation and conflict.

"I have said it time and again that unless we, as a people, come to terms with Mindanao, we will never attain full promise as a nation," the President said.

The President then reiterated the three principles that define her Mindanao policy, namely:

• first, is that our ultimate objective should be both peace and development;

• second, that our framework for peace and development must be based on constitutionality, national sovereignty and territorial integrity;

• third, that since our society is multi-ethnic, peace and development must be founded on social justice for all and the institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions.

They were young. They were idealistic.

Yet they did not come to present grievances. Instead, they came to share with the President an honor they got for winning a world championship, making all Filipinos proud.

Composed of girls aged 13 to 14, members of the Bacolod team that recently captured the World Youth Softball championships in Kirkland, Washington paid a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today, showed their victory banner and presented her with an honorary jacket symbolizing their feat in the last World Series.

Their 2-0 win over their counterparts from Puerto Rico allowed the Paglaum Village girls to bring home the crown, the first for the Philippines in World Series softball competition.

In 1992, the country was stripped of its World Series title in boys’ baseball after organizers discovered that some of the players of the Zamboanga City Little League chapter were either overaged of were found to be reinforcement batters from other regions.

After being assured that there was no such thing this time, a visibly pleased Chief Executive congratulated the girls for "a job well done."

"We’re proud of you," she said.

There was no formal dinner, only merienda for the world champions at the State Dining Room, yet they appeared overly ecstatic over the chance to meet the President who spoke to them in Ilonggo.

"So, how was your game," she asked the girls.

"Okey lang po," was the curt reply of Aiza de la Torre, 14-year old pitcher of the team. "Di man po namin inexpect na manalo kami. Pero fight lang."

Pleased with the achievement of the young girls, the President promptly presented them a check for P1 million as a reward.

"Para ito makapag-training pa kayo lalo," she said.

Bacolod Congressman Monico Puentevella, who accompanied the girls along with Commissioner Leo Montemayor of the Philippine Sports Commission and their coaches, was also pleased with the time spent by the President with the girls.

"It only shows she cares for sports specially to those who bring honor to our country," Puentevella, who is also the chairman of the House committee on youth and sports, said.

In recognition of their achievement, Puentevella said, he will ask that a marker be placed in the Bacolod City plaza proclaiming it as the "Home of the World Series Champs."

The Bacolod girls mentored by Reynaldo Fuentes, is one of three squads from Negros Occidental that earned berths to the world competition. They had been competing in the World Series girls 13-14 division since 1998.

They placed first runner-up in the 2002 World Series, their best finish before this year’s championship.

The Filipinas first beat West America (California), 3-0; then went on to clobber Central America (Ohio), 9-0; downed South America (West Virginia), 7-0; and defeated Southwest America (Texas), 3-1 on their way to the championship. They lost only once, 1-2 against the Latin American squad, Rosario y Cardona from Puerto Rico in a no-bearing crossover semis match.

The Presidential Fact-Finding Commission investigating the escape of convicted Indonesian terrorist Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi has recommended to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo the criminal prosecution of the officers and men of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) for their negligence.

The commission chairman, former Justice Secretary Sedfrey Ordonez, in a press briefing in Malacaņang, said that after a thorough discussion and evaluation of the testimonies received and the evidence presented, the commission called for the prosecution of 10 PNP personnel to ensure that the same incident will not be repeated.

Ordonez observed that while there is no evidence of conspiracy or collusion between the PNP-IG personnel in general and the escapees, there were deliberate efforts on the part of some officers and men of the Intelligence Group to cover up the circumstances of the escape.

The officers and men who were recommended for criminal prosecution for negligence were P/Supt. Guillermo Danipog, P/Supt. Carlito Natanauan, P/Supt. Reuben Galban, P/Ins. James Dime, SPO3 Ruperto Principe, Jr. SPO3 Buenegardon Campo, and PO1 Ronald Palmares.

The criminal prosecution of Cusain Ramos, Mark Gumbale, Amory Lilagan was also recommended for aiding or abetting in the escape of detained prisoners, al-Ghozi, Abdulmukin Ong Edris and Omar Opik Lasal.

The commission also proposed to Congress an increase in the penalty for violations of Article 224 of the Revised Penal Code. At present the penalty for evasion through negligence is only arresto mayor to prison correctional minimum, which means from six months and one day to about two years imprisonment.

"As it is, this would not constitute sufficient deterrent for future violators," Ordonez said.

The Commission likewise recommended the following:

• The detention centers inside Camp Crame should be consolidated into one location so that there can be focus on the security of the detainees. If at all there will be holding facilities, the same should be temporary and used only during custodial investigation of detainees;

• The guards in the Santolan Gate and the Edsa Gate should be furnished with a list of all detainees as well as photographs in order to avert the possibility of escape. Based on the interrogation of Edris, they walked casually out of Camp Crame. Although SAF guards in the Santolan Gate saw them, they were allowed to go out because the guards had no basis to know whether they were detainees or not.

• There should be strict implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) No. 2003-56-04 as well as the PNP-IG Holding Facility Operating Manual. The Commission notes that while the guidelines as set forth in the SOP and the Manual are very sound policies, in as much as it defines the duties and responsibilities of the PNP-IG personnel relative to the handling of holding facilities, it can only be effective if there is strict adherence to its provisions.

• Pursuant to the SOP and the PNP-IG Holding Facility Operating Manual, logbooks must be maintained and a logbook custodian should keep the same to ensure that there are available records of important occurrences within the holding facility. The Commission notes the absence of logbooks in each of the holding facility as well as the absence of an accountable officer for said logbooks despite the clear provisions of the Manual;

• Holding Facility No. 2, from where al-Ghozi escaped, should no longer be used as detention cell even for custodial investigation because of the structural defects thereon;

• Detention prisoners who have been convicted in the trial court level should not be allowed to stay in the holding facilities. Instead arrangements should immediately be undertaken in order that they can be committed to the National Penitentiary;

• Police agencies should put a stop to the common practice of allowing former detainees who may have been discharged as state witnesses or whose cases have been dismissed from staying in the premises of their office. Moreover, these former detainees should not be allowed or tolerated to have access to the detention cells of other detainees;

• Only police personnel who have had adequate training in jail management/custodial responsibilities and who have had a direct hand in the handling of detainees should have access to the detention facilities.

The President ordered the creation of an independent fact-finding commission to get to the bottom of the escape of al–Ghozi and two other suspected Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

The 16 Royal Houses of Lanao today expressed their full support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s efforts in forging a lasting peace and sustainable development in Mindanao.

"We are encouraging the government to tap the sultanates for lasting peace, stability, and development in Mindanao," Tamparan (Lanao del Sur) Mayor Sultan Topaan Disomimba said in his remarks during the opening of the First Conference of Royal Sultanates on Unified and Effective Governance held this morning at the Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel.

Disomimba, who is also chairman of the 16 Royal Houses of Lanao, said attaining lasting peace, stability and development in Mindanao is but one of the objectives of their gathering.

He said the government could also empower them to effectively fight against all forms of lawlessness, and provide initiatives to become effective working partners for efficient governance in Mindanao.

Attending the two-day gathering were the Royal Sultanates of Mindanao and Sulu, the 16 Royal Houses of Lanao as well as those from neighboring Malaysia.

The conference aims to tap the Sultanates as active partners of the government in realizing lasting peace, stability and sustainable development in Mindanao.

In her keynote speech, the President said she wished nothing greater than a complete and lasting peace for Mindanao.

She said the Philippine sultanates are cherished historical institutions that must be upheld and celebrated as part of our historical realm.

"In accordance with the principle of institutionalized accommodation of ethnic traditions, we shall uphold the Bangsamoro identity, cultural rights and way of life as well as the rights to socio-economic development and ancestral domain," she said.

She added the sultanates must be at the vanguard of peace and development in Mindanao. "I ask you Sultans, to add your own fine stone to the building of a Strong Republic," she said.

"You and I are part of this mandate to build a Strong Republic. And I am very happy that you’re all here, noblemen and noblewomen of our noble race. May your presence, may your coming together bring about a stronger partnership between the great civilizations that are all part of one great Philippine nation," she said.

The President also thanked Disomimba for organizing the event and for making her a princess during her visit to Tamparan when she was still vice president.

In her visit to Tamparan on August 14, 1999, she was crowned as "Ba-i a Labi Dimasangkay," a title she inherited from her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, who was bestowed Sultan a Dimasangkay.

As part of the government’s key endeavor towards a Strong Republic, the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) today launched the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project (SCTEP), a major infrastructure envisioned to support development in Central Luzon.

Rufo Colayco, BCDA president and chief executive officer (CEO), said in a press briefing this afternoon that the SCTEP will create the backbone of a new economic growth corridor, which in time will be more significant than Metro Manila.

"We really believe that with this synergy this region will be the focal point of the Philippine nation’s turnaround within a period of 10 to 15 years," Colayco said.

He said the SCTEP is a 94.5 km., four lane road project, a major component of the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) program.

The program calls for the creation of a regional logistics hub anchored in Central Luzon through the creation of major infrastructure that will draw investments to the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Zambales and Nueva Ecija, all in Region 3.

"It will provide link and integrate all economic activities among the Clark Special Economic, Subic Freeport and Special Economic Zone," he said.

Colayco explained that the highway will also connect Subic to the rest of the region. Adjacent to the seaport is the Bataan Technology Park, an eco-tourism and industrial complex which is also part of Subic-Clark network.

The four-lane highway is divided into two major sections; the first, the Subic-Clark section, is 50.5 kilometers long; while the second, the Clark-Tarlac section, measures 44 kilometers long.

It also involves the construction of major bridges which include the Gumain River Bridge, Dinalupihan Viaduct, Pasig Potrero River Bridge, and the Sacobia-Bamban River Bridge.

It also includes the construction of 14 interchanges, 28 bridges, 218 culverts, 13 overpasses and 51 underpasses.

Estimated cost of the project is P18.73 billion or $374.78 million. Eighty five percent of the amount, or P15.92 billion, will come from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and the remaining 15 percent from the BCDA, amounting to P2.81 billion.