The pursuit of peace negotiations with the CPP/NPA is on track but we maintain vigilance against any terrorist acts.

The quest for peace is important to our political and economic security.

It is important to win peace agreements and to reconcile past political conflicts while we are being tough against terrorism and corruption.

Security is important to maintain long -term economic growth that will enable us to attract investments, invest in vital infrastructure and make individual initiative possible.

Let us not turn human tragedies into political opportunities.

I am ordering the NDCC to dispense assistance to the victims directly in coordination with the local governments, without regard for any partisan influence.

I commend the law enforcement agencies that were hot on the trail of Betti Chua-Sy’s gunman.

He was caught in a checkpoint and this demonstrates the effectiveness of our interdiction measures.

We will bring justice to kidnap victims and get the rest of the kidnap gangs.

This drive is an important part of overall public safety and security, which are vital to investments and economic growth.

Until such time that the Sandigan Bayan makes a final decision on whether to allow former President Joseph Estrada to seek treatment abroad, Malacanang will have to defer talking about the visa issue.

"At this point, any action attributed to the President could be considered pure speculation because there is still a motion for reconsideration," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a radio interview this morning.

"Kaya’t kung magiging final po itong desisyon ng Sandigan Bayan, ay palagay ko (Until the Sandigan Bayan issues a final decision on this case, I believe) that’s the only time we could really talk about this visa," he said.

The Sandigan Bayan has issued a ruling allowing the former President to seek medical treatment in the United States for his arthritic knees.

Bunye said government lawyers led by Atty. Villa Ignacio, will file a motion for reconsideration.

"Once the Sandigan Bayan makes the decision, that’s the only time we could say, that’s it, the former President has finally been granted that medical leave," he said.

The President said in earlier pronouncements that she will respect the decision of the courts for humanitarian reasons.

Some of the militant groups which helped oust Estrada during EDSA II have also indicated they will not object to such a ruling.

DAGUPAN – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today said she will name Alipio Fernandez Jr. as Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation after current Commissioner Andrea Domingo files her candidacy to run the local Pampanga elections.

The President’s announcement, made during the inauguration of the fish market here, was applauded by the people of the city where Fernandez served as mayor for three terms.

DAGUPAN CITY—Dagupenos got a fiesta bounty while one of Pangasinan’s most illustrious sons, Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. received a surprise birthday gift from no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she inaugurated the San Fernando Fish Market and the National Bangus Production Center here today.

A P10-million assistance for the establishment of a fish processing plant at the Philippine Bangus Center was ordered released by the President in line with her efforts to expand the city’s capability to supply the country with Dagupan fish.

"A good fiesta gift for the people of Dagupan and a good birthday gift for Speaker de Venecia," Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo said, describing de Venecia as a "partner in progress and in changing the country’s landscape."

The Speaker, who celebrates his birthday on Dec. 26, was called "Bayani ng Constitutional Democracy" by the Chief Executive during a speech that followed the unveiling of the marker of the Fish Market.

It has been the yearly ritual of the President to pass by Dagupan on the way to her annual vacation in Baguio which she cancelled this year in deference to the people of Southern Leyte and Caraga which were recently hit by deadly landslides.

"But I can’t do away with the Dagupan portion because of this inauguration. Because bangus is the leading product of Dagupan, it’s the product that made Joe de Venecia go to school. Now we are expanding Dagupan’s capability to feed the people of the Philippines with Dagupan bangus," the President said.

She said she has ordered Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo to stop the importation of fish fry, and instead make Dagupan the fish fry center of the Philippines.

"Sa Dagupan na lang bibili ng fish fry ang buong Pilipinas (The whole Philippines will now buy fish fry in Dagupan)," she said.

The P10 million she gave to Dagupan mayor Benjie Lim is only part of the P50 million government contribution to the fish processing center .